The Evidence for Efficacy of HPV Vaccines: Investigations in Categorical Data Analysis

Abstract

Our current students are among the first to have been vaccinated against HPV. Have they ever considered how the accumulation of the evidence for the efficacy of the vaccine resulted in recommendations for its widespread provision? Using data sourced from a meta-analysis of clinical trials for HPV vaccines, we will examine this evidence. We will show how these data can be used to illustrate applications of methods of categorical data analysis, for students in courses at a variety of levels. And we will describe how this case study can be used to promote discussion of concepts in the design of experiments, statistical concerns such as independence of observations, and the importance of context in the interpretation of the results of data analyses.