FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2024
Florida Chapter of AAP Launches PSA to Help Improve HPV Vaccination Rates in FL
The human papillomavirus causes several types of cancers. HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.
Tallahassee, Florida – The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that affects both men and women. While most infections resolve on their own, some turn into cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 37,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer caused by HPV every year.
A vaccine given during childhood can prevent ninety percent of cancers caused by HPV when given before a child is exposed to the virus. According to data from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), only 34.4% of the state’s population between ages 9 and 17 years has completed the HPV vaccination series, compared to the national average of 58.6%.
The Florida Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics, Inc. (FCAAP), is dedicated to supporting Florida’s families to make informed decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of their children. To this end, FCAAP has launched a new public service announcement (PSA) video and a public transit advertising campaign aimed at educating communities across the state about the cancers caused by HPV and the protection offered through vaccination. In collaboration with healthcare professionals and linguistic experts, FCAAP translated the PSA video, which was recorded in English, to include both Spanish and Creole subtitles to ensure accessibility by the state’s diverse population.
The related public transit advertising campaign launched in Jacksonville, Florida in April 2024. Duval County was chosen for the public transit campaign due to it’s lower than average HPV vaccination completion rate of 26.1% according to data from the FDOH. Unfortunately, a completion rate lower than the state average is not unique to Duval County, which is why FCAAP is sharing its PSA broadly via social media.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and FCAAP recommend starting the HPV vaccination series at 9 years of age. The immune response is robust at younger ages and increases the likelihood that the vaccination series is completed before a child is exposed to the virus.
Caregivers should talk to their child’s pediatrician about how to protect their children from cancers caused by HPV. FCAAP’s PSA, including the versions with Spanish and Creole subtitles, can be accessed at https://www.fcaap.org/go/HPV2024playlist. Additional resources for caregivers are available at https://www.fcaap.org/parents/.
About the Florida Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics:
Through its almost 2,800 members, the Florida Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics promotes the health and welfare of Florida’s children and supports pediatricians and pediatric specialists as the best qualified providers of their health care.
MEDIA CONTACT
Alicia E. Adams, Esq., Executive Director, aadams@fcaap.org
Download a PDF of this press release here.
