COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Chloe Gaines
COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR: Dr. Shannon Chopp

TITLE: INCREASING HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) VACCINATION RATES AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN THE PRIMARY CARE SETTING: A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It is the most common viral infection of the reproductive system, and it is responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. Many HPV related cancer deaths can be prevented with the simplest intervention of vaccination which is most effective when administered before exposure to the virus. Despite the HPV vaccine’s proven safety and efficacy, its uptake remains suboptimal. PURPOSE: This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to train providers at a pediatric and family clinic in an effective communication strategy to increase HPV vaccination uptake among adolescents. It ensured that every adolescent’s encounter delivers a unified, confident message about HPV vaccination. PICOT QUESTIONS: For providers in a primary care setting (P), does the training on the “Same-Way Same-Day” approach, with automated reminders and education for patients/parents (I), compared to current practices with automated reminders and education for patients/parents (C), increase the adolescents’ HPV vaccination initiation rate (O) within three months (T)? METHOD: A single-group, pre- and post-intervention design was employed to assess changes in practice, measured by the number of HPV vaccines initiated in the medical records of adolescents in the three-month period post-intervention compared to the three-month period pre-intervention. The intervention involves training the providers on an effective communication strategy using the “Same-Way Same-Day” approach. The primary outcome was an increase in the HPV vaccination initiation rate, assessed using the chi-square test for independence. RESULTS: The post-intervention analysis demonstrated that provider training in effective communication, using the Same-Way Same-Day approach, increased adolescents’ initiation rates for HPV vaccination. In the pre-intervention period, 37% of adolescents received their initial HPV vaccine compared to 83% post-intervention. This amounts to a 46% increase in the number of HPV-vaccinated adolescents during the post-intervention period. IMPLICATIONS: This project reinforced the critical role of primary care providers in promoting preventive healthcare and reducing the long-term burden of HPV-related cancers. CONCLUSION: This DNP QI project validated that training providers in effective communication for HPV vaccination increased adolescents’ initiation rates in a primary care setting.

Keywords: Human papillomavirus, vaccination, HPV vaccine, pre-intervention, post-intervention, adolescents, providers, initiation rate, effective communication, primary care setting

Location Online:

Zoom Link:

https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/99720747436?pwd=maP4T401BEFSVHF4rbVitAsFpoMqel.1

Meeting ID: 997 2074 7436

Passcode: 234877