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The Department of Public Health in
Cherokee County, Texas, is working to change its residents’ negative perception
of the HPV vaccine through education. According to Cheryl Hill, health clinic
coordinator, the Texas Vaccines for Children program, which is endorsed by
Cherokee County Public Health, is offering the three-dose HPV vaccine series
free to eligible Cherokee County residents aged 11-18 years. The program’s
guidelines require proof of children’s Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance
Program (CHIP) enrollment at each vaccine appointment. Clients without
insurance coverage pay a $7 administrative fee for the series and youth who
turn 19 during the course of the immunization pay $10 throughout the program.
The vaccine is not mandated, but is
being made available to those who want it. Hill explained that the health
department distributes English- and Spanish-language pamphlets with information
about HPV and offers the vaccine when parents take their 11- or 12-year-old
child to the clinic for school immunizations. She noted that many parents ask
if the child needs it for school. The staff explains the purpose of the vaccine
and suggests that the parents think about. Hill said that so far, parents seem
surprised to learn how the virus can affect their child. She states that
parents don’t think about their child’s sexuality in relation to health because
the child is still so young. She observed that the surprise is seen more often
with young male clients, whose parents say that the child does not need the
vaccine because they think HPV is related to cervical cancer only. Chris
Taylor, a parent, cited figures from the county website showing that so far
this year, Cherokee County has reported 337 cases of sexually transmitted
infections, fewer than the state average of 435, but four times the rate of the
national benchmark of 84 cases.
Hill explained that many times
people don’t know they have HPV. Someone can have the infection and it clears
on its own, but some strains hang around and women don’t know they have it
since it goes undetected. For more information, contact Cherokee County Public
Health at 903-586-6191.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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