Tasmania has the lowest rate in the nation of girls immunised against the sexually transmitted infection, human papillomavirus, according to a new report.
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Healthy Communities: HPV immunisation rates in 2014-15, released on Thursday, found significant improvements had been made across Australia in immunising girls against the infection, which was often associated with cervical cancer.
However, out of the 31 Primary Health Network areas around the country, as well as more than 80 smaller local areas, included in the research, Tasmanian figures were the lowest.
The report was compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
“HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection, which affects about four out of five people at some point in their lives,” institute spokesman Michael Frost said.
“Immunising girls and boys against HPV can prevent a range of cancers, including cervical cancer, and other conditions, such as genital warts.”
The school-based National HPV Vaccination Program for girls began in 2007, and was extended to include boys in 2013.
Nationally, the percentage of girls fully immunised at the age of 15 continued to improve, from 72 per cent in 2012-13, to 74 per cent in 2013-14, and almost 79 per cent in this latest report.
“Across Primary Health Network Areas, the highest rates of immunisation for girls were recorded in Murrumbidgee (NSW) at 86 per cent, followed by the Western Victoria and Hunter New England and Central Coast NSW PHN areas at about 84 per cent each,” Mr Frost said.
The areas with the lowest immunisation rates included Tasmania, with 67 per cent, country South Australia at 69 per cent, and the Gold Coast at 70 per cent.
“Releasing local rates of HPV immunisation can give school-based program managers and local health system managers the information they need to understand what’s working well and where improvement is needed.
“When looking at the smaller local areas, we see greater variation, with HPV immunisation rates for girls varying by nearly 30 percentage points.”
Thursday’s report was the first to include local-level HPV immunisation rates for boys. It showed more than two-thirds of boys aged 15 across the nation were fully immunised, while rates across PHN areas ranged from about 60 to 80 per cent.
"HPV immunisation rates are a bit lower for boys than for girls, but the program is newer for boys and rates are expected to improve over time,” Mr Frost said.
