Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Utilization and Its Determinants Among Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): A Review

TL;DR

This review examines HPV vaccine use among adolescents in the UAE, highlighting high coverage in girls but low rates in boys and factors influencing vaccination.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of HPV vaccine utilization and its determinants in the UAE, focusing on gender disparities and cultural influences.

Findings

HPV vaccination coverage in girls in the UAE exceeded 90% in some areas after 2008.

Male adolescent vaccination rates remain very low, with limited data available.

Doctor referral is a strong motivator for HPV vaccine uptake.

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause a range of diseases, the most common being cervical cancer. Although vaccines have existed for decades and are highly effective at preventing the illness, vaccination coverage is low, specifically among adolescents. There has been some success in vaccination campaigns in the UAE among girls, but very low male adolescent vaccination rates. It is essential to identify vaccination patterns as well as predictors of uptake to improve public health outcomes.

This narrative review included relevant studies published between 2005 and 2025 in the PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Embase databases. The MeSH terms used were "Human Papillomavirus vaccine," "HPV vaccine," "Human Papillomavirus," "HPV," "vaccine uptake," "immunization," and "United Arab Emirates."

Following the introduction of HPV vaccination in adolescent girls in 2008, the UAE saw a dramatic expansion of coverage, with some areas exceeding 90%. However, recent trends show the number of adolescents initiating vaccination has declined while completion is rising. Male data are limited but demonstrate very low coverage. Determinants of the uptake of vaccines include awareness levels, religious and cultural attitudes, fear of side effects, and concerns about costs and availability of the vaccine. Doctor referral was an extremely powerful motivator for vaccination. The UAE is behind its immediate regional neighbors in the uptake of vaccines, but leads when compared to international standards.

While the UAE has shown tremendous improvement in HPV vaccination, there remains some room for growth, especially in male adolescents. Expanding education, drifting from cultural resistance to vaccination, and increasing vaccine availability are measures that are crucial to optimizing vaccine distribution and reducing HPV-related illnesses in the years ahead.

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