A community-based, interdisciplinary approach to improving HPV vaccine uptake at a large urban public university

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this project was to pilot and determine the outcomes of a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary human papillomavirus awareness and vaccination campaign within a university community. Participants: Students, faculty, and staff of a large urban Midwest-based public university. Methods This consisted of five key interventions: promotion and outreach, volunteer training, patient education, access, and documentation. Perceived knowledge and attitudes toward HPV and the HPV vaccine, and HPV vaccine uptake were measured as outcome variables. Results: The project resulted in statistically significant increases in perceived knowledge regarding HPV and the HPV vaccine, willingness to receive HPV vaccination, and likeliness to recommend HPV vaccination (p < 0.001). The project also resulted in a 76.6% increase in the number of HPV vaccines administered at the university’s Campus Health Center. Conclusions: A novel HPV awareness and vaccination campaign led to increases in knowledge regarding HPV and HPV vaccines, and substantially increased HPV vaccinations administered at a large, urban public university.