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January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and offers us the opportunity to discuss human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and how they will help prevent cancer. Cervical cancer, once the leading cause of cancer death for women in the US, is the most preventable of all female cancers. About 79 million people, most in their late teens and early 20s, are currently infected with HPV, and an additional 14 million are estimated to be infected each year–a compelling reason to protect preteens and teens early through vaccination. Increasing HPV vaccination rates is a public health priority.
HealthStreet reached out to Dr. Stephanie Staras, an associate professor in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics and an expert in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine implementation research and whose work highlights the strong association between HPV vaccine initiation and parents’ beliefs about the HPV vaccine’s ability to prevent cancer safely. Dr. Staras shared with us information about the HPV vaccination. “When received by 17 years of age, the HPV vaccine can reduce the risk of cervical cancer by 88%. The vaccine also prevents five additional types of cancer – vaginal, vulvar, penial, anal, and oropharynx cancer. In order to prevent these six cancers, national health organizations recommend that the HPV vaccine be received by age 11 or 12. The vaccine is available at most health care providers for no or low cost and has typical side-effects of vaccines like arm soreness or redness. I see the HPV vaccine as an opportunity for parents to protect their children from future cancers and strongly suggest parents speak to their child’s primary care provider about the vaccine“
SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR
As part of the UF CTSI mission to cultivate and engage each other in honest and vulnerable conversations about race, the UF CSTI Diversity and Cultural Competency Council (DC3) introduces the inaugural Black Voices in Research Storytelling Event. This event underscores the inherent value of telling our stories. The goals of this event are to create a platform for black biomedical researchers and research professionals to amplify their stories, bring awareness to their experiences that have shaped how they show up in their field, and to build and enrich UF’s diverse research community. This event will introduce five Black men and women who will share their stories in a live stream format featuring a special welcome and introduction from UF CTSI Director, Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD. RSVP for this special event.
Interested in participating in research?
Here are a few studies that you can participate in now:
+The Speech Development in Children Study is examining how children learn to recognize speech. Eligible participants must be parents of children who are 3-12 years of age with a history of ear infections or reading problems.
+The Familial, Geographic, and Social Determinants of Mental Well-being in Rural LGBTQ+ Adolescents Study is exploring how sexual orientation and gender combined with family, social, and geographic environments impact well-being. Eligible participants must be 13-18 years of age and self-identify as LGBTQ+.
If you are interested in hearing about these or other studies, contact our Study Navigator, Sara, at 352-294-4873.
Do you or someone you know have cancer? We’d love to talk about opportunities to participate in research. Please share this link to become a member and learn about cancer screenings.
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