Abstract A20: HPV and HPV vaccine education intervention: Effects on parents, healthcare staff, and school staff

Abstract

Abstract Background: Increasing knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccine is a potentially important way to increase vaccination rates, yet few education interventions have addressed these topics. We report the results of an education intervention targeting three key groups who have contact with adolescent females. Methods: We conducted HPV education intervention sessions during 2008 and 2009 in Guilford County, North Carolina. Guilford County has a higher proportion of African American residents compared to North Carolina as a whole, as well as one of the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the state. Parents (n=376), healthcare staff (n=118), and school staff (n=456) attended the one-time education sessions and completed self-administered surveys. Analyses used mixed regression models. Results: Participants had relatively low levels of objectively assessed HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge prior to the intervention. The education intervention increased self-rated HPV knowledge among all three key groups (all p<0.001), as well as objectively assessed knowledge about many aspects of HPV and HPV vaccine among healthcare and school staff members (all p<0.05). Although all groups experienced an increase in their self-rated knowledge, the largest increase was seen among parents, with healthcare and school staff experiencing smaller increases (p<0.05). Following the intervention, over 90% of school staff members believed HPV and HPV vaccine education is worthwhile for school personnel and that middle schools are an appropriate venue for this education. Most parents (97%) and school staff members (85%) indicated they would be supportive of school-based vaccination clinics. Discussion: An important first step in increasing HPV vaccination rates among adolescent females in the US is to improve knowledge levels among key groups influential to adolescents’ vaccination behaviors. In this study, we demonstrated that a simple education intervention greatly improved objectively assessed and self-rated HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge levels among parents, healthcare staff, and school staff members. Such interventions offer a relatively low effort and potentially effective strategy for increasing HPV vaccination. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):A20.