infection risk for their child,” said lead researcher Kalyani Sonawane, an associate professor of public health with the Medical University of South Carolina. “The side effects of“Reverse disparity,” in which people from low-income or minority communities have better HPV vaccination coverage than people from more advantaged areas, has become a factor in improving vaccination rates, researchers said.
Given that just over half of all teens are white, their parents' vaccination decisions significantly impact the herd immunity of the entire age group, researchers said. Well-off parents generally cited safety concerns for refusal to get their children vaccinated, researchers said. Previous studies have found that minority parents are more likely to accept the vaccine and perceive the threat of HPV infection to be greater, researchers said.The HPV vaccine was first approved in 2006, researchers said. It is recommended for teens, but can be given as a catch-up vaccine up to age 26.