Too busy for their health? Understanding healthcare providers' role in increasing HPV vaccination among college female students

BACKGROUND: HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer and the most common STI among women in the US. HPV infection increases the likelihood of contacting other STIs, including HIV. The HPV vaccine provides protection against the most common cancer and wart causing strains of HPV. Provider-level interventions may be effective in increasing vaccination rates. METHODS: In order to investigate facilitators and barriers in providers discussing the HPV vaccine with their patients and to gauge their comfort and confidence level, in-depth interviews were conducted with women's clinic healthcare providers at the university health center of a large Midwestern university. RESULTS: Participants included female nurse practitioners and medical doctors who were predominantly white and had been employed by the university health center for over 5 years. Most providers felt comfortable and confident discussing sexuality issues with their patients, including asking them about the HPV vaccine. Providers mentioned using a health history questionnaire to guide them through patients' sexual health histories and behaviors. However, they stated that time restraints greatly limit their ability to adequately address preventative health practices like Gardasil vaccinations. Additionally, providers indicated they often did not remember to address HPV vaccination with their patient even when adequate time was available. CONCLUSIONS: Public health professionals should design structural interventions to utilize other staff to assist providers in addressing prevention issues and individual level interventions to focus on training providers to improve their time management skills. Such interventions may help to reduce rates of HPV/HIV and other STIs among college women.