Increasing HPV Vaccination Rates Through Provider Intervention

Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most commonly sexually transmitted infection in the US. A vaccination is available that protects against the most common strands of the virus, however, uptake is low. A strong provider endorsement has been shown to increase vaccination rates. The project site had a 44% rate of vaccination prior to implementation. Objectives: The aim of this quality improvement project was to increase HPV vaccination rates using an educational intervention for healthcare providers. Methods: An educational intervention was carried out with providers at a primary care clinic in North Carolina. After the intervention, weekly vaccination rates were assessed for 12 weeks. Electronic surveys were sent weekly to providers for feedback about vaccination practices. Results: During the implementation phase 999 adolescents were eligible for HPV vaccination, at the end of implementation the 44% rate of HPV vaccination was unchanged. The rate of vaccinated males at the practice site was 45.2%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 28.1%. The overall response rate to the provider survey was 60.4%. Commonly reported reasons for declination of the vaccine, according to the providers were that parents wanted to wait and that vaccination was unnecessary. Conclusion: These findings substantiate that there is not one simple solution to increasing HPV vaccination rates. Although the providers in this project were motivated this did not translate into increased vaccination rates. Future projects should focus on educating parents on why vaccination is required at an early age and provider communication techniques.