Colorado HPV Data Summary

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus that can cause six types of  cancer  and genital warts.   According to the CDC , more than 42 million Americans are currently infected with HPV types that cause disease. About 13 million people, including  adolescents and young adults, become infected with HPV each year. An estimated 46,000 new cases of HPV-associated cancers occur in the United States annually.

HPV infection can resolve on its own after a few years or persist based on the HPV type. Persistent infection with HPV causes cancer. HPV vaccine is safe, effective, and prevents cancer.  It protects females and males from HPV infection and associated cancer by targeting cancer-causing HPV types. The HPV 9-valent vaccine  is currently the only licensed HPV vaccine available in the United States. 

Immunization against HPV works best when given at the recommended ages of 9-12 .  To be effective, all vaccine doses should be given to your child before they are exposed to HPV.  HPV doses are administered following the immunization schedule recommended by the  Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).  Children who get the first dose before their 15 ^th  birthday only need two doses. Those who get their first dose on or after their 15 ^th  birthday need three doses.

In order to obtain a clear picture of who is receiving the HPV vaccine in Colorado and allow for further examination of specific age groups of interest, the following graphs display initiation and up-to-date rates by three age categories: Age 9-17, Age 9-12, and Age 13-17, calculated using a denominator of active patients in the CIIS registry.  Such estimates are subject to variation due to changes in migration and therefore, some population totals at the county level may be overestimates and result in lower than expected vaccination to population ratios.

By having a more accurate understanding of immunization rates, local public health agencies and our community partners can more effectively target efforts to increase vaccinations and allow for better tracking of progress over time, helping to ensure that those communities in need of vaccines are identified and reached more effectively.

All of the data on this page defaults to display data for those age 9-17 and is updated on a quarterly basis. Use the drop down at the top of each visual to select a different age group of interest.

The following data and graphs reflect HPV vaccine doses administered to adolescents who live in Colorado. In an effort to better understand data insights, Colorado counties have been aggregated into 5 separate regions allowing for a broad overview of HPV vaccination initiation and up-to-date rates within that region.

A more detailed look at HPV vaccination initiation and up-to-date rates by Colorado County follows this section.

The following interactive map identifies the five Colorado regions and the counties within each region.

Anyone who has received at least one dose of HPV vaccine is considered to have initiated their HPV vaccine series.  The following series of graphs show the percent of adolescents over time who have initiated their HPV vaccine series by Colorado region, gender, and race & ethnicity.

All graphs default to show the Denver Metro region for the 9-17 age group. Use the dropdowns at the top of each visual to select a different age group and/or region of interest.

Anyone who has received the ACIP-Recommended number of HPV vaccine doses based on their current age is considered to be Up-To-Date.  The following series of graphs show the percent of adolescents over time who are up-to-date on their HPV vaccine series by Colorado region, gender, and race & ethnicity.

All graphs default to show the Denver Metro region for the 9-17 age group. Use the dropdowns at the top of each graph to select a different age group and/or region of interest.

The following data and graphs reflect HPV vaccine doses administered to adolescents who live in Colorado shown by Colorado County.

Anyone who has received at least one dose of HPV vaccine is considered to have initiated their HPV vaccine series.  The following series of graphs show the percent of adolescents over time who have initiated their HPV vaccine series by Colorado county, gender, and race & ethnicity.

Individual county data is grouped by Colorado region and defaults to the Denver Metro region and age group 9-17. Use the dropdowns at the top of each graph to select a different age group or region/county of interest.

The following interactive map shows the percent of adolescents Age 9-17 who have initiated their HPV series by Colorado county. Darker colors indicate higher rates of initiation while lighter colors indicate lower rates. Click on individual counties for more detailed information.

Anyone who has received the ACIP-Recommended number of HPV vaccine doses based on their current age is considered to be Up-To-Date.  The following series of graphs show the percent of adolescents over time who are up-to-date on their HPV vaccine series by Colorado county, gender, and race & ethnicity.

Individual county data is grouped by Colorado region and defaults to the Denver Metro region and age group 9-17. Use the dropdowns at the top of each graph to select a different age group or region/county of interest.

The following interactive map shows the percent of adolescents Age 9-17 who are up-to-date for their HPV series by Colorado county. Darker colors indicate higher numbers of adolescents up-to-date while lighter colors indicate lower numbers. Click on individual counties for more detailed information.

The Alliance for HPV Free Colorado, in partnership with The Public Health Institute at Denver Health (PHIDH), has a Commitment to Equity in Data and aspires to present data humbly, recognizing numbers never tell the whole story. We strive to work with individuals and communities to learn and share their stories to improve collective understanding. Knowing that people across life circumstances have inequitable opportunities to achieve optimal health, we commit to pair numbers and stories to inform policy and systems change to improve health for all.