Female quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination uptake and Virginia Immunization Information System reporting in the New River Health District: 2006-2011

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages states to monitor vaccination practices, especially among vulnerable populations. A statewide immunization registry for public and private sectors, the Virginia Department of Health's Virginia Immunization Information System (VIIS) was designed to record vaccinations for all Commonwealth residents, provide consolidated, up-to-date immunization histories, and control vaccine-preventable diseases. Little is known about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake and HPV vaccine series completion in Virginia communities, and differences between public and individual provider VIIS reporting have not been evaluated. Both VIIS and provider-reported data were collected and examined for all females aged 11 to 26 years living in the New River Health District between 2006 and 2011 who received at least one HPV vaccine dose. For each VIIS record, clinic location, number of doses received in the three-part series, age of initial vaccination, and ethnicity were obtained for the analysis. Initial results indicate that few private providers entered HPV vaccination data into VIIS for female patients aged 11 to 26 years; many females aged 11 to 26 years who were vaccinated did not complete the three-part series; and overall HPV vaccination uptake in the New River Valley is low. Additional analyses explore relationships between demographic information and HPV vaccination uptake as well as HPV vaccine series completion, which will serve to inform HPV vaccination education initiatives and provider trainings in the region.