Since 2007, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) has recommended that all girls receive vaccinations against
the human papillomavirus (HPV) in order to reduce the disease burden of cervical cancer. Persistent infections with
high-risk HPV subtypes increase a woman’s risk of developing cancer. In the second wave of the German Health Interview
and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave 2, 2014-2017), 42% of 2,958 11- to 17-year-old girls
reported that they had received at least one HPV vaccination, and 31.4% reported a full HPV vaccination. 45.3% of 14- to
17-year-old girls reported a complete series of HPV vaccinations. Compared to the figures reported in KiGGS Wave 1 five
years ago, HPV vaccination coverage has therefore remained stable. A vaccination coverage below 50% in girls is too
low to exploit the potential of HPV vaccination to reduce cervical cancer rates in Germany.Peer Reviewe