Religious beliefs are reflected in attitudes towards vaccinations

According to the latest human papillomavirus vaccination coverage report by the national vaccination register, 70 per cent of Finnish girls born in 2004, i.e. girls who are 13 years old this year, have received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. 

There are still large regional differences in HPV vaccination coverage, with the coverage being generally higher in major cities. The vaccination rate is particularly high in Central Finland, Savonia and North Karelia, where 70–91 per cent of girls are vaccinated.

The regions with the lowest vaccination rates include coastal Ostrobothnia, such as the Pietarsaari area, where attitudes towards vaccinations in general are more hesitant. The latest statistics indicate that only 35.5% of girls in Pietarsaari have received the HPV vaccination.

The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) suspects that the religious backgrounds of families in the coastal parts of Northern Ostrobothnia may be a reason for the vaccination rate being low in places. In small municipalities, even the decisions of individual families may affect the statistics, particularly if the families in question are large in size. 

Sources:

• Mediuutiset (in Finnish)
• THL (in Finnish)