The National Center for Health Statistics released the results from the first-ever study looking at the prevalence of human papillomavirus in the U.S. - and the statistics aren't looking good.
According to the report, which was released Thursday, more than 42 percent of American adults between 18 and 59 years old have HPV, the New York Times reports. Not only that, but around a quarter of men and 20 percent of women are infected specifically with high-risk strains, which are known to cause cervical and penile cancers. These numbers also make HPV the most common STI in the country. (Yikes.)
While the numbers seem a little terrifying, the study also points out that two vaccines exist to prevent HPV, and the high rates of the STI make getting vaccinated against it even more necessary than we thought before. While doctors are recommending that the vaccination be given to children as young as 11 and 12 years old (or ideally before they become sexually active), luckily, the vaccination can still be effective until the age of 26.
“If we can get 11 and 12-year-olds to get the vaccine, we’ll make some progress,” Geraldine McQuillan, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the New York Times. “You need to give it before kids become sexually active, before they get infected. By the time they’re in their mid-20s, people are infected and it’s too late. This is a vaccine against cancer - that’s the message.”
Of course, whether or not you choose to get vaccinated, the study is also a great reminder of why it's important to use a condom and practice safe sex every. Single. Time.