Introducing a HPV Vaccination Program: the Experience in the State of Geneva, Switzerland (2007-2009)

Emilien Jeannot, Philippe Sudre, Philippe Chastonay

Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva; Switzerland.
Service of Epidemiology and Contagious Diseases, State Medical Office, DARES, Geneva; Switzereland.

DOI: 10.4236/wjv.2011.12003                

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the HPV vaccination coverage of 11 to 19 year-old girls during a state coordinated HPV vaccination program in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 2007 to December 2009. Methods: The HPV vaccination program was coordinated by the State Medical Office. It relied on practitioners in private practice, on the School Health Service and on a temporary vaccination structure at the Geneva University Hospital. Each service provider transmitted quarterly to the State Medical Office the nominal list of the persons who had received their first, second or third shot. The data were processed through the Téléform © software and analyzed to assess the HPV cover-age of the target population. Results: The global coverage rates on December 31st 2009, 2 years after the program had been launched, were 48.1% for one dose, 43.7% for two doses and 41.6% for three doses of the HPV vaccine. These rates were quite different from one cohort to another: for girls born in 1995 (14 year-old), cover rates were 70% for the first, 68.1% for second and 65.1% for the third dose. Conclusion: This study shows that it is possible to obtain a high coverage rates after two years of a state coordinated HPV vaccination program.

Keywords

Immunization, Adolescent, Human Papilloma Virus

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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