269348 Primary care physicians' attitudes toward prescription of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 5:30 PM - 5:50 PM

Haiyan Qu, PhD , Department of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Andrzej Kulczycki, PhD , Dept. of Health Care Organization & Policy, MCH Concentration, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL
Richard Shewchuk, PhD , Department of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
The HPV vaccine can greatly reduce infection and cervical cancer death rates. However, use remains low and not always accepted. We surveyed 301 primary care physicians nationally to assess their attitudes about vaccination for young females. Respondents were mostly male (55%), White (72%), and averaged 21 years practice experience post-graduation (range 2-57 years). We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify sub-groups of physicians based on their responses to eight questions regarding adherence barriers to HPV vaccination recommendations. Concerns included vaccine cost, reimbursement, logistical problems, patient's adherence to follow-up vaccinations, effectiveness doubts, safety concerns, age of patient, and potential influence on patient's sexual behavior. A binary measure was used to code responses (1=significant; 0=otherwise). Overall, most participants considered these barriers “not significant” except for vaccine cost. However, LCA findings indicated three different groups in terms of attitudes held. Group 1 (49% of respondents) included relatively more males (56%) and tended to have suburban practices (58%) with an average of 6 physicians. Their only significant concerns included vaccine cost (0.89) and reimbursement problems. Group 2 (45%), with an average of 9 physicians/clinic practice, considered none of these issues as “significant” (0.01-0.24), whereas Group 3 (6%) found all concerns “significant” (0.82-0.99). Group 3 participants were more likely to be minority (61%), practicing in urban (61%) and small clinics (3 physicians). There were no significant group differences in practice type (family physicians vs. pediatricians), practice experience, and electronic health record adoption. Findings indicated that primary care physicians held different opinions about HPV vaccination.

Learning Areas:
Biostatistics, economics
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify subgroups of primary care physicians with different attitude about proscription of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for young females; 2. Assess the needs of primary care physicians about HPV vaccination; 3. Design a program to help primary care physicians to adhere recommendation of HPV vaccination.

Keywords: Primary Prevention, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been co-investigator of federally funded grant focusing on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. My scientific interest is to develop strategies used to prevent HIV and STD for females.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.