Sexual experiences in relation to HPV vaccination status in female high school students in Sweden

Abstract

Objectives To investigate sexual experiences, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and use of condoms in relation to human papillomavirus (HPV)-vaccination status in female high school students.

Methods In 2013, 355 female students with a median age of 18 years from randomly selected high schools in Sweden answered a classroom questionnaire on sexual experiences and HPV-vaccination status.

Results In total 227/348 (65%) of the women reported having received at least one HPV vaccine dose. Median age at first intercourse was 15 and 16 years respectively, in the 141/227 (62%) vaccinated after, and the 86/227 (38%) vaccinated before their sexual debut. There were no differences between the HPV-vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups regarding condom use, STIs, and experiences of oral and anal sex, or friends- with-benefit relationships. However, having had sexual intercourse and ‘one-night stands’ were more common in the vaccinated group (both p < 0.05).

Conclusion Many students (62%) were vaccinated against HPV, with two-thirds after their sexual debut. There were no differences in condom use and STIs, and only a few differences in sexual experiences between the HPV-vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups. Initiating HPV vaccination before sexual debut is important, as is information about the link between HPV, sexual behaviour and cancer.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• HPV
• HPV vaccine
• Sexual experiences
• Sexual behaviour
• Survey research
• Sweden

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to Andreas Ährlund-Richter, Cecilia Nordfors and Torbjörn Ramqvist for their helpful comments.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and the writing of the paper.

This work was made possible by funding from the Swedish Research Council K2011-56X-15282-07-06, the Swedish Cancer Foundation 120417 and 120535, the Stockholm Cancer Foundation 121043, Karolinska Institutet 2013fobi37387, the Stockholm City Council 520007, the Medical Faculty of Uppsala University 2012/1609, Uppsala- rebro Regional Research Council RFR 312791, the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health, and ALF-funds.