Young Males, 11-26 should be receiving the HPV vaccine to prevent cancers that occur among them, but far fewer young males than young females are getting it.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 15, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Partnership for Male Youth (PMY), the only national US organization whose sole focus is on the health and wellbeing of adolescent and young adult (AYA) males, has produced short video clips that explore the need for AYA males to receive the HPV vaccine. HPV, or human papilloma virus, which is passed on through sexual activity, is very common – 90% of people will have it at some point in their lives but, for most people, it will have not any symptoms and the immune system will effectively eliminate it (World Health Organization). In males, it can cause genital warts, cancer in the anus or penis, or throat cancer.

For males, the recommendation is that they receive the HPV vaccine, which prevents HPV infection, starting at ages 11 or 12 years, up to 26 years. Unfortunately, more females than males are vaccinated – 2 females for every 1 male. Again, in males, the most common cancer that’s caused by HPV is throat cancer – most cases occur in males, and the incidence of throat cancer now exceeds that of cervical cancer, which is also caused by HPV.

“It is clear from what we know that young males are at elevated risk for acquiring HPV. We also know that many parents and young males themselves do not know that they should be vaccinated,” said David Bell, MD, MPH Board Chair of the Partnership. “This needs to change.”

Studies have also shown that there is reluctance on the part of health care providers to discuss the HPV vaccine with parents of young males, underscoring the need to educate them on its importance.

Founded in 2013, PMY is a broad-based partnership of leaders and organizations from a range of disciplines that deal with issues that impact the health of adolescent and young adult (AYA) males. Its disciplines include medicine, psychology, education, and juvenile justice, among others. All of its work is informed through the involvement of young males themselves.

Sources: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer#:~:text=HPV%20and%20cervical%20cancer&text=HPV%20is%20the%20most%20common,populations%20eventually%20clear%20the%20infection.
https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stats.htm
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/laryngeal-and-hypopharyngeal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
https://www.karmanos.org/karmanos-foundation/news/throat-cancer-now-surpasses-cervical-cancer-as-the-3289

Dennis Barbour
The Partnership for Male Youth
+1 202-841-7475
Dbarbour@partnershipformaleyouth.org
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