Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and can cause various types of cancer. Prophylactic HPV vaccination is highly effective and has been recommended in Switzerland since 2007 for girls and young women aged 11 to 26 – and since 2015 also for boys and young men. Catch-up vaccination is also available for women up to the age of 45.
HPV vaccination is well documented among adolescents across Switzerland, with an uptake of 71% for girls and 49% for boys between 2020 and 2022. However, data on HPV vaccination among adults and on the factors influencing their vaccination behavior have so far been limited. A nationwide survey conducted by the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute at the University of Zurich has now helped to close this…