Iowa HPV vaccination project: Reducing barriers to care

Background:Girls in Iowa under 19 are provided access to the HPV vaccine through the VFC Program. Women ages 19-26 are not provided access through any federal programming at this time. The population for this study is women, 19-26, who choose to receive family planning services at the Family Planning Council of Iowa or the Iowa Department of Public Health's clinics.

Objective:Reduce the incidents of cervical cancer and mortality through provision of the HPV vaccine to vulnerable populations.

Methods:State-wide surveys of family planning clients at 16 clinics, ages 19-26, were administered to determine the levels of assistance needed for client receipt of the HPV vaccine. A pilot project ran to determine the effectiveness of Merck & Co., Inc.'s Patient Assistance Program in the family planning clinic setting, as well as a pilot to determine health insurance coverage levels for the HPV vaccine.

Results:56% of women surveyed want to receive the HPV vaccine, but 78% of them need assistance to pay for the vaccine series. Research data also identified a need for increased education about HPV-related disease. Merck & Co., Inc.'s Patient Assistance Program is a viable resource for provision of the HPV vaccine, but family planning clinics need more information about how to set up the program and build a vaccine inventory.

Implications for Programs, Policy and/or Research:Family planning clinics around the nation can use this research as a starting point for creating assistance programming to address localized access needs to the HPV vaccine.