Jan Dyer

Preliminary results from the Testosterone Trials, a group of studies supported in part by the National Institutes on Aging, suggest that restoring levels of testosterone to those of healthy young men improves the sexual function of seniors, but does not significantly affect mobility and fatigue.

Related: Testosterone Replacement Therapy: Playing Catch-up With Patients

The findings are from the first 3 of 7 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials aimed at determining whether testosterone treatment could alleviate those symptoms. The trials were recommended by the former Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) as a key step before considering larger trials of long-term risks.

In the studies, 790 men aged ≥ 65 years received daily testosterone or placebo via gel. Serum testosterone concentration was measured regularly for 12 months. Testosterone did not significantly affect walking ability, but in all 3 trials walking speed and distance did improve in the testosterone group, compared with the placebo group. Testosterone did not have a significant effect on fatigue, but had “modest favorable” effects on mood. Men in the testosterone group were also more likely to report that they had more energy.

Related: Opioid-Induced Androgen Deficiency in Veterans With Chronic Nonmalignant Pain

“For a long time, there has been interest in whether testosterone is an appropriate therapy for aging-related conditions in men,” said NIA Director Richard Hodes, MD. “This study clarifies questions about some of its potential benefits. As the researchers note, clarifying the risks requires further study.” Participants experienced few adverse events, but too few to draw conclusions about risks in older men, especially given that men at high risk for prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease were not included in the trial.

Preliminary results from the Testosterone Trials, a group of studies supported in part by the National Institutes on Aging, suggest that restoring levels of testosterone to those of healthy young men improves the sexual function of seniors, but does not significantly affect mobility and fatigue.

Related: Testosterone Replacement Therapy: Playing Catch-up With Patients

The findings are from the first 3 of 7 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials aimed at determining whether testosterone treatment could alleviate those symptoms. The trials were recommended by the former Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) as a key step before considering larger trials of long-term risks.

In the studies, 790 men aged ≥ 65 years received daily testosterone or placebo via gel. Serum testosterone concentration was measured regularly for 12 months. Testosterone did not significantly affect walking ability, but in all 3 trials walking speed and distance did improve in the testosterone group, compared with the placebo group. Testosterone did not have a significant effect on fatigue, but had “modest favorable” effects on mood. Men in the testosterone group were also more likely to report that they had more energy.

Related: Opioid-Induced Androgen Deficiency in Veterans With Chronic Nonmalignant Pain

“For a long time, there has been interest in whether testosterone is an appropriate therapy for aging-related conditions in men,” said NIA Director Richard Hodes, MD. “This study clarifies questions about some of its potential benefits. As the researchers note, clarifying the risks requires further study.” Participants experienced few adverse events, but too few to draw conclusions about risks in older men, especially given that men at high risk for prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease were not included in the trial.

Preliminary results from the Testosterone Trials, a group of studies supported in part by the National Institutes on Aging, suggest that restoring levels of testosterone to those of healthy young men improves the sexual function of seniors, but does not significantly affect mobility and fatigue.

Related: Testosterone Replacement Therapy: Playing Catch-up With Patients

The findings are from the first 3 of 7 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials aimed at determining whether testosterone treatment could alleviate those symptoms. The trials were recommended by the former Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) as a key step before considering larger trials of long-term risks.

In the studies, 790 men aged ≥ 65 years received daily testosterone or placebo via gel. Serum testosterone concentration was measured regularly for 12 months. Testosterone did not significantly affect walking ability, but in all 3 trials walking speed and distance did improve in the testosterone group, compared with the placebo group. Testosterone did not have a significant effect on fatigue, but had “modest favorable” effects on mood. Men in the testosterone group were also more likely to report that they had more energy.

Related: Opioid-Induced Androgen Deficiency in Veterans With Chronic Nonmalignant Pain

“For a long time, there has been interest in whether testosterone is an appropriate therapy for aging-related conditions in men,” said NIA Director Richard Hodes, MD. “This study clarifies questions about some of its potential benefits. As the researchers note, clarifying the risks requires further study.” Participants experienced few adverse events, but too few to draw conclusions about risks in older men, especially given that men at high risk for prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease were not included in the trial.

Pioglitazone, used to treat type 2 diabetes, may reduce the risk of recurrent stroke and heart attacks by 24% in people who are insulin resistant but do not have diabetes, according to findings from the Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke (IRIS) trial. The study, supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is the first to provide evidence that suggests a drug targeting cell metabolism may be protective against recurrent vascular events even before diabetes develops.

In the IRIS study, ≥ 3,000 patients who had had an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were randomly assigned to receive pioglitazone or placebo for up to 5 years, in addition to standard care. Nine percent of those on the drug had another stroke or heart attack, compared with 12% of those on placebo.

Pioglitazone also reduced the risk of diabetes by 52%. However, the study offered further evidence of a known adverse effect, increased risk of bone fractures.

Although previous research had suggested that insulin resistance increases the risk of stroke, IRIS was the first to test the pioglitazone treatment. However, pioglitazone is not FDA-approved for the uses studied in the trial.

Pioglitazone, used to treat type 2 diabetes, may reduce the risk of recurrent stroke and heart attacks by 24% in people who are insulin resistant but do not have diabetes, according to findings from the Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke (IRIS) trial. The study, supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is the first to provide evidence that suggests a drug targeting cell metabolism may be protective against recurrent vascular events even before diabetes develops.

In the IRIS study, ≥ 3,000 patients who had had an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were randomly assigned to receive pioglitazone or placebo for up to 5 years, in addition to standard care. Nine percent of those on the drug had another stroke or heart attack, compared with 12% of those on placebo.

Pioglitazone also reduced the risk of diabetes by 52%. However, the study offered further evidence of a known adverse effect, increased risk of bone fractures.

Although previous research had suggested that insulin resistance increases the risk of stroke, IRIS was the first to test the pioglitazone treatment. However, pioglitazone is not FDA-approved for the uses studied in the trial.

Pioglitazone, used to treat type 2 diabetes, may reduce the risk of recurrent stroke and heart attacks by 24% in people who are insulin resistant but do not have diabetes, according to findings from the Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke (IRIS) trial. The study, supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is the first to provide evidence that suggests a drug targeting cell metabolism may be protective against recurrent vascular events even before diabetes develops.

In the IRIS study, ≥ 3,000 patients who had had an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were randomly assigned to receive pioglitazone or placebo for up to 5 years, in addition to standard care. Nine percent of those on the drug had another stroke or heart attack, compared with 12% of those on placebo.

Pioglitazone also reduced the risk of diabetes by 52%. However, the study offered further evidence of a known adverse effect, increased risk of bone fractures.

Although previous research had suggested that insulin resistance increases the risk of stroke, IRIS was the first to test the pioglitazone treatment. However, pioglitazone is not FDA-approved for the uses studied in the trial.

The VA established the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to help track and understand the long-term health effects of exposure to burn-pit smoke (from waste disposal) and other airborne hazards. Since its launch in 2014, nearly 61,000 veterans and service members have signed up. But that’s only a “small fraction” of the estimated 3 million who may be eligible, says Dr. Stephen Hunt, National Director of the VA’s Post-Deployment Integrated Care Initiative.

Hunt says the registry helps veterans in a number of ways. First, it gives veterans an opportunity to document any concerns they have about deployment-related exposures. It also provides an opportunity to obtain a free health evaluation by a VA or DoD provider. This evaluation can ensure ongoing follow-up for existing health conditions or any conditions that emerge “down the road.”

Participation is voluntary and free. It is not required to obtain disability compensation benefits, nor does the veteran need to be enrolled in the VA health care system. A Registry note in the medical record summarizing the veteran’s exposure concerns and related medical treatment can serve as evidence for a claim, but is not necessary to the claims process. The questionnaire is based on recollection of service, not the participant’s military record.

The Registry is open to anyone who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti (on or after Sept. 11, 2001), or Southeast Asia (after 1990). Signing up takes about 40 minutes, at https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry.

Reports on research findings so far from the Registry are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp. Health care providers can find more information in the fact sheet available at www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/exposures/burn-pit-registry-fact-sheet.pdf#.

The VA established the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to help track and understand the long-term health effects of exposure to burn-pit smoke (from waste disposal) and other airborne hazards. Since its launch in 2014, nearly 61,000 veterans and service members have signed up. But that’s only a “small fraction” of the estimated 3 million who may be eligible, says Dr. Stephen Hunt, National Director of the VA’s Post-Deployment Integrated Care Initiative.

Hunt says the registry helps veterans in a number of ways. First, it gives veterans an opportunity to document any concerns they have about deployment-related exposures. It also provides an opportunity to obtain a free health evaluation by a VA or DoD provider. This evaluation can ensure ongoing follow-up for existing health conditions or any conditions that emerge “down the road.”

Participation is voluntary and free. It is not required to obtain disability compensation benefits, nor does the veteran need to be enrolled in the VA health care system. A Registry note in the medical record summarizing the veteran’s exposure concerns and related medical treatment can serve as evidence for a claim, but is not necessary to the claims process. The questionnaire is based on recollection of service, not the participant’s military record.

The Registry is open to anyone who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti (on or after Sept. 11, 2001), or Southeast Asia (after 1990). Signing up takes about 40 minutes, at https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry.

Reports on research findings so far from the Registry are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp. Health care providers can find more information in the fact sheet available at www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/exposures/burn-pit-registry-fact-sheet.pdf#.

The VA established the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to help track and understand the long-term health effects of exposure to burn-pit smoke (from waste disposal) and other airborne hazards. Since its launch in 2014, nearly 61,000 veterans and service members have signed up. But that’s only a “small fraction” of the estimated 3 million who may be eligible, says Dr. Stephen Hunt, National Director of the VA’s Post-Deployment Integrated Care Initiative.

Hunt says the registry helps veterans in a number of ways. First, it gives veterans an opportunity to document any concerns they have about deployment-related exposures. It also provides an opportunity to obtain a free health evaluation by a VA or DoD provider. This evaluation can ensure ongoing follow-up for existing health conditions or any conditions that emerge “down the road.”

Participation is voluntary and free. It is not required to obtain disability compensation benefits, nor does the veteran need to be enrolled in the VA health care system. A Registry note in the medical record summarizing the veteran’s exposure concerns and related medical treatment can serve as evidence for a claim, but is not necessary to the claims process. The questionnaire is based on recollection of service, not the participant’s military record.

The Registry is open to anyone who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti (on or after Sept. 11, 2001), or Southeast Asia (after 1990). Signing up takes about 40 minutes, at https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry.

Reports on research findings so far from the Registry are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp. Health care providers can find more information in the fact sheet available at www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/exposures/burn-pit-registry-fact-sheet.pdf#.

The goal: to improve access to resources, educational materials, information, and support for outpatients recovering from opioid misuse. The challenge: create a mobile application to be used as part of the comprehensive treatment plan.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) wants to spur developers to create a free, user-friendly app that could help patients manage their treatment regimens, prevent relapse by alerting patients to triggers for drug use, or help them access information about drug interactions and side effects on their smartphones.

SAMHSA is awarding over $30,000 in prizes,. Submissions are accepted through May 28, 2016. For more information, visit http://samhsaopioidrecoveryapp.devpost.com.

The goal: to improve access to resources, educational materials, information, and support for outpatients recovering from opioid misuse. The challenge: create a mobile application to be used as part of the comprehensive treatment plan.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) wants to spur developers to create a free, user-friendly app that could help patients manage their treatment regimens, prevent relapse by alerting patients to triggers for drug use, or help them access information about drug interactions and side effects on their smartphones.

SAMHSA is awarding over $30,000 in prizes,. Submissions are accepted through May 28, 2016. For more information, visit http://samhsaopioidrecoveryapp.devpost.com.

The goal: to improve access to resources, educational materials, information, and support for outpatients recovering from opioid misuse. The challenge: create a mobile application to be used as part of the comprehensive treatment plan.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) wants to spur developers to create a free, user-friendly app that could help patients manage their treatment regimens, prevent relapse by alerting patients to triggers for drug use, or help them access information about drug interactions and side effects on their smartphones.

SAMHSA is awarding over $30,000 in prizes,. Submissions are accepted through May 28, 2016. For more information, visit http://samhsaopioidrecoveryapp.devpost.com.

The VA is making changes aimed at improving the Veterans Crisis Line, said Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson.

For one, the Crisis Line will form a “stronger bond” with the VA’s Suicide Prevention Office and Mental Health Services, Gibson said. The Crisis Line also will be under the direction of the VA’s Member Services, which is restructuring portions of the VA that have direct contact with veterans. The plan is to give the Crisis Line staff more support by streamlining processes and putting more resources at their fingertips,. The structural changes build on key hires from last year, including a director with extensive clinical social work background. The VA has also committed to expanding staff— the Crisis Line currently has more than 300 employees—and improving phone systems and equipment to better handle demand.

“Last year, counselors at the Crisis Line dispatched emergency responders to intervene and save the lives of veterans in crisis more than 11,000 times,” Gibson said. “That means, on average, we’re stepping in to save 30 lives per day. “Nothing could be more important.”

The VA is making changes aimed at improving the Veterans Crisis Line, said Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson.

For one, the Crisis Line will form a “stronger bond” with the VA’s Suicide Prevention Office and Mental Health Services, Gibson said. The Crisis Line also will be under the direction of the VA’s Member Services, which is restructuring portions of the VA that have direct contact with veterans. The plan is to give the Crisis Line staff more support by streamlining processes and putting more resources at their fingertips,. The structural changes build on key hires from last year, including a director with extensive clinical social work background. The VA has also committed to expanding staff— the Crisis Line currently has more than 300 employees—and improving phone systems and equipment to better handle demand.

“Last year, counselors at the Crisis Line dispatched emergency responders to intervene and save the lives of veterans in crisis more than 11,000 times,” Gibson said. “That means, on average, we’re stepping in to save 30 lives per day. “Nothing could be more important.”

The VA is making changes aimed at improving the Veterans Crisis Line, said Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson.

For one, the Crisis Line will form a “stronger bond” with the VA’s Suicide Prevention Office and Mental Health Services, Gibson said. The Crisis Line also will be under the direction of the VA’s Member Services, which is restructuring portions of the VA that have direct contact with veterans. The plan is to give the Crisis Line staff more support by streamlining processes and putting more resources at their fingertips,. The structural changes build on key hires from last year, including a director with extensive clinical social work background. The VA has also committed to expanding staff— the Crisis Line currently has more than 300 employees—and improving phone systems and equipment to better handle demand.

“Last year, counselors at the Crisis Line dispatched emergency responders to intervene and save the lives of veterans in crisis more than 11,000 times,” Gibson said. “That means, on average, we’re stepping in to save 30 lives per day. “Nothing could be more important.”

There’s some good news in the battle against “superbugs” in acute care hospitals. For example, central line–associated bloodstream infections were down 50% and surgical site infections declined 17% between 2008 and 2014. Plus, some “progress” toward reducing in catheter-associated urinary tract infections was seen between 2009 and 2014. Hospital-onset infections caused by Clostridium difficile, the most common bacteria responsible for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), dropped by 8% between 2011 and 2014.

However, “antibiotic-resistant HAIs are a threat to all patients,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In its Vital Signs report, the CDC lists 6 bacteria that are among the “most deadly”: carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (extended-spectrum β-lactamases), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter. Those bacteria cause 1 in 7 catheter- and surgery-related HAIs in acute care hospitals, and 1 in 4 infections in long-term acute care hospitals.

“Doctors and health care facilities have the power to protect patients—no one should get sick while trying to get well,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. The CDC’s report calls on health care professionals to continue prevention efforts. “For clinicians, prevention means isolating patients when necessary,” said Clifford McDonald, MD, associate director for science at CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion. The Vital Signs report advises being aware of antibiotic resistance patterns in facilities, following recommendations for preventing infections, and prescribing antibiotics correctly (including reassessing and stopping appropriately). It also urges health care facility CEOs and administrators to establish a stewardship program and enroll their hospitals to submit data to the CDC’s Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module to target improvements (www.cdc.gov/nhsn/acute-care-hospital/aur/index.html).

Along with the annual progress report, the CDC has released the Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas (www.cdc.gov/hai/surveillance/ar-patient-safety-atlas.html), a new web app with interactive data on HAIs. National, regional, and state maps show the percentage of resistance over time using data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network by more than 4,000 health care facilities.

There’s some good news in the battle against “superbugs” in acute care hospitals. For example, central line–associated bloodstream infections were down 50% and surgical site infections declined 17% between 2008 and 2014. Plus, some “progress” toward reducing in catheter-associated urinary tract infections was seen between 2009 and 2014. Hospital-onset infections caused by Clostridium difficile, the most common bacteria responsible for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), dropped by 8% between 2011 and 2014.

However, “antibiotic-resistant HAIs are a threat to all patients,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In its Vital Signs report, the CDC lists 6 bacteria that are among the “most deadly”: carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (extended-spectrum β-lactamases), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter. Those bacteria cause 1 in 7 catheter- and surgery-related HAIs in acute care hospitals, and 1 in 4 infections in long-term acute care hospitals.

“Doctors and health care facilities have the power to protect patients—no one should get sick while trying to get well,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. The CDC’s report calls on health care professionals to continue prevention efforts. “For clinicians, prevention means isolating patients when necessary,” said Clifford McDonald, MD, associate director for science at CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion. The Vital Signs report advises being aware of antibiotic resistance patterns in facilities, following recommendations for preventing infections, and prescribing antibiotics correctly (including reassessing and stopping appropriately). It also urges health care facility CEOs and administrators to establish a stewardship program and enroll their hospitals to submit data to the CDC’s Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module to target improvements (www.cdc.gov/nhsn/acute-care-hospital/aur/index.html).

Along with the annual progress report, the CDC has released the Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas (www.cdc.gov/hai/surveillance/ar-patient-safety-atlas.html), a new web app with interactive data on HAIs. National, regional, and state maps show the percentage of resistance over time using data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network by more than 4,000 health care facilities.

There’s some good news in the battle against “superbugs” in acute care hospitals. For example, central line–associated bloodstream infections were down 50% and surgical site infections declined 17% between 2008 and 2014. Plus, some “progress” toward reducing in catheter-associated urinary tract infections was seen between 2009 and 2014. Hospital-onset infections caused by Clostridium difficile, the most common bacteria responsible for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), dropped by 8% between 2011 and 2014.

However, “antibiotic-resistant HAIs are a threat to all patients,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In its Vital Signs report, the CDC lists 6 bacteria that are among the “most deadly”: carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (extended-spectrum β-lactamases), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter. Those bacteria cause 1 in 7 catheter- and surgery-related HAIs in acute care hospitals, and 1 in 4 infections in long-term acute care hospitals.

“Doctors and health care facilities have the power to protect patients—no one should get sick while trying to get well,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH. The CDC’s report calls on health care professionals to continue prevention efforts. “For clinicians, prevention means isolating patients when necessary,” said Clifford McDonald, MD, associate director for science at CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion. The Vital Signs report advises being aware of antibiotic resistance patterns in facilities, following recommendations for preventing infections, and prescribing antibiotics correctly (including reassessing and stopping appropriately). It also urges health care facility CEOs and administrators to establish a stewardship program and enroll their hospitals to submit data to the CDC’s Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module to target improvements (www.cdc.gov/nhsn/acute-care-hospital/aur/index.html).

Along with the annual progress report, the CDC has released the Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas (www.cdc.gov/hai/surveillance/ar-patient-safety-atlas.html), a new web app with interactive data on HAIs. National, regional, and state maps show the percentage of resistance over time using data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network by more than 4,000 health care facilities.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects an estimated 79 million U.S. adults, and ≥ 30,000 HPV-related cancers occur each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Native American women living in the Northern Plains and Midwest are twice as likely as the national average to report HPV infection. In some regions, American Indians are 4 times more likely to get cervical cancer, the most common HPV-related cancer.

While vaccination rates are higher among American Indian youth than other groups, rates for the HPV vaccine remain low: Only 39% of females and 26% of males have had all 3 doses.

Studies have shown the vaccine prevents strains of HPV that lead to 70% of HPV-related cancers in men and women, such as oropharyngeal, penile, cervical, and vaginal, the CDC reported. But there are still misconceptions about HPV that help keep vaccination rates low, says Delf Schmidt-Grimminger, a senior scientist with the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota and the Avera Cancer Institute, in an article for Native Health News Alliance. One misconception is that boys do not need the vaccination; however, both boys and girls should be vaccinated to eradicate the disease. Preteens are the targeted group because the vaccine is most effective when given before individuals become sexually active. The vaccines are available and free for most American Indian children at any clinic.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects an estimated 79 million U.S. adults, and ≥ 30,000 HPV-related cancers occur each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Native American women living in the Northern Plains and Midwest are twice as likely as the national average to report HPV infection. In some regions, American Indians are 4 times more likely to get cervical cancer, the most common HPV-related cancer.

While vaccination rates are higher among American Indian youth than other groups, rates for the HPV vaccine remain low: Only 39% of females and 26% of males have had all 3 doses.

Studies have shown the vaccine prevents strains of HPV that lead to 70% of HPV-related cancers in men and women, such as oropharyngeal, penile, cervical, and vaginal, the CDC reported. But there are still misconceptions about HPV that help keep vaccination rates low, says Delf Schmidt-Grimminger, a senior scientist with the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota and the Avera Cancer Institute, in an article for Native Health News Alliance. One misconception is that boys do not need the vaccination; however, both boys and girls should be vaccinated to eradicate the disease. Preteens are the targeted group because the vaccine is most effective when given before individuals become sexually active. The vaccines are available and free for most American Indian children at any clinic.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects an estimated 79 million U.S. adults, and ≥ 30,000 HPV-related cancers occur each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Native American women living in the Northern Plains and Midwest are twice as likely as the national average to report HPV infection. In some regions, American Indians are 4 times more likely to get cervical cancer, the most common HPV-related cancer.

While vaccination rates are higher among American Indian youth than other groups, rates for the HPV vaccine remain low: Only 39% of females and 26% of males have had all 3 doses.

Studies have shown the vaccine prevents strains of HPV that lead to 70% of HPV-related cancers in men and women, such as oropharyngeal, penile, cervical, and vaginal, the CDC reported. But there are still misconceptions about HPV that help keep vaccination rates low, says Delf Schmidt-Grimminger, a senior scientist with the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota and the Avera Cancer Institute, in an article for Native Health News Alliance. One misconception is that boys do not need the vaccination; however, both boys and girls should be vaccinated to eradicate the disease. Preteens are the targeted group because the vaccine is most effective when given before individuals become sexually active. The vaccines are available and free for most American Indian children at any clinic.