Cancer Prevention Education for Providers, Staff, Parents, and Teens Improves Adolescent Human Papillomavirus Immunization Rates

Abstract

To develop a program to educate providers, office staff, patients, and parents on life-long cancer prevention strategies, including the use of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to improve adolescent HPV vaccination rates. A 2-phase program was implemented at 6 pediatric practices across upstate New York. Phase 1 included provider and staff education regarding practice-specific vaccination challenges and discussion of the contents of a study-specific cancer-prevention booklet, which included HPV vaccine information. Throughout phase 2, the booklets were distributed to all adolescents and their parents during office visits over a 12-month period. Practice-specific, countywide, and statewide HPV vaccination rates were assessed before phase 1, and 6 and 12 months after the launch of phase 2. One year after implementing phase 2 in 6 practices, adolescent HPV vaccine series initiation increased by at least 10% in 3 practices, and at least 5% in 5 practices. Similarly, adolescent vaccine series completion rates increased by more than 10% in 3 practices. The percent change in vaccine series completion rates across all study sites postintervention ranged from 12% to 20% for 11- to 12-year-olds, and from 7% to 23% for 13- to 18-year-olds. Cancer prevention education targeting providers, office staff, patients, and parents was modestly effective for improving adolescent HPV vaccination rates.