Human papillomavirus vaccination and sexual behaviour: cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys conducted in England.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether HPV vaccination influences sexual behaviour in adolescent girls, either by giving them a 'green light' to have sex, or because perceived protection afforded by the vaccine permits compensatory risky sexual behaviour.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys.


METHODS
Seven English schools.


METHODS
Self-reported sexual behaviour.


METHODS
The cross-sectional survey included 1053 girls (mean age 17.1 years) who had (n=433 recruited in March 2010) or had not (n=620 recruited in March 2009) been offered the HPV vaccine. The longitudinal survey included 407 girls (mean age 17.5 years) who had been offered HPV vaccination and had either received at least one dose (n=148) or had not received any doses (n=259).


RESULTS
In the cross-sectional survey, the group of girls who had been offered the HPV vaccine were no more likely to be sexually active than the group of girls who had not been offered the HPV vaccine. In the longitudinal survey, the vaccinated group were no more likely to have changed their condom use or increased their total number of sexual partners than the unvaccinated group.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither being offered the HPV vaccine nor receiving it affected sexual behaviour.
Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
Alice S
AS
Forster
Laura A V
LA
Marlow
Judith
J
Stephenson
Jane
J
Wardle
Jo
J
Waller
D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines