Patient-Level Interventions Can Increase HPV Vaccination Rates in Communities | IDWeek 2024

More than 42 million Americans are infected with types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are known to cause disease, and about 13 million Americans—including teens—are infected with HPV each year, according to the CDC.¹ Although most HPV infections will clear by themselves within 2 years, some will cause cancer. Estimates suggest that 37,800 cancers were attributable to HPV each year between 2017 and 2021. Approximately 35,000 of these cancers could have been prevent by vaccination with the 9-valent HPV vaccine.²

The CDC recommends HPV vaccination for all preteens at ages 11 to 12 years old; catch-up vaccination is recommended for all adults through age 26. At IDWeek 2024, researchers took a closer look at both vaccination coverage rates and at interventions that could increase coverage rates in their communities.

Quality improvement initiatives focused on educating medical staff and patients can significantly increase rates of HPV vaccination in urban communities, concluded the researchers of one study.³

Individuals who are uninsured have lower rates of HPV vaccination compared to those who are insured. Upon review of their clinic’s vaccination records, researchers—located in a Newark, New Jersey neighborhood and primarily serving uninsured, non-English speaking patients—found that only 13% and 24% of patients were fully and partially vaccinated against HPV, respectively, compared to the national rates of 21.5% and 39.5%.

Researchers conducted a retrospective chart review of men aged 18 to 21 and women aged 18 to 26 who attended a visit at their clinic between 2021 and 2024. A quality improvement initiative was implemented from January 1, 2023, to November 1, 2023; the initiative included medical team education, creation of informational pamphlets, and discussions with patients. Vaccination rates were evaluated both pre- and post-intervention.

A total of 379 patients were included in the preintervention group (82% women); 93 patients were included in the postintervention group (90% women). Following the intervention, the rate of fully vaccinated patients increased from 13% to 27%, and the rate of unvaccinated patients decreased from 63% to 34%, representing a statistically significant change in vaccination status.

READ MORE: Women’s Health Resource Center

Reference

1. About HPV. CDC. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/about/index.html

2. Cancers associated with human papillomavirus. CDC. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/united-states-cancer-statistics/publications/hpv-associated-cancers.html

3. Wang HM, Voss S, Viswanathan D, et al. Increasing HPV vaccination rates in an underserved urban population. Presented at IDWeek 2024; October 16-19, 2024; Los Angeles, CA. Poster P-26.

4. Meyer S, Yankey DNMN, Elam-Evans L, et al. Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage among girls and boys in the United States: a birth year cohort analysis of the national immunization survey–teen, 2016-2022. Presented at IDWeek 2024; October 16-19, 2024; Los Angeles, CA. Poster P-5.

5. Humiston SG, Molloy L, Simone L, et al. Impacts of a quality improvement initiative to build confidence in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among American Indian communities. Presented at IDWeek 2024; October 16-19, 2024; Los Angeles, CA. Poster P-1.