142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

307583
Role of the provider in HPV vaccine uptake among African American adolescent girls

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Tracie Graham, MPH , Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Colleen Crittenden Murray, DrPH, MPH , Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA
Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD , Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
Debbie Yembra, MPH, CHES , Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Introduction: One of the goals of Healthy People 2020 is to reduce the proportion of females with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.  Although there are effective vaccines available, the proportion of U.S. adolescent girls who have completed the vaccine series remains less than optimal.  Current research has yielded mixed results but suggests there are disparities in HPV vaccination, with African American girls being less likely than Caucasian girls to receive all doses.  Since African American women in the U.S. bear a disproportionately high burden of HPV disease, it is imperative to understand how their rate of vaccine initiation and series completion can best be improved.

Methods: Using ACASI, 216 interviews were completed with African American girls, 14-18 years of age, who were recruited in family planning and STI public health clinics in the Atlanta metro area.  Interviews were conducted from February 2010 to November 2012.

Results: Most girls (n = 177) believed their doctor would think it was a good idea for them to receive the HPV vaccine.  This number was higher than those who reported most people important to them, their best friend, or parent would have the same belief.

Conclusion: Previous research has shown that the provider plays an important role in vaccine initiation.  The current findings support the importance of understanding the patient-provider relationship and how it influences the decision to get vaccinated.  Strategies should be implemented to train providers on how best to educate their patients on vaccination.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Discuss motivating factors for initiating and completing HPV vaccine uptake among African American girls. Identify strategies for providers to use in influencing and educating their patients on the importance of HPV vaccination.

Keyword(s): Adolescents, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the Project Coordinator for this study. In this position I participated in the survey development and was responsible for participant recruitment and data management. Among my research interests has been patient access and care, STI prevention and reproductive health.
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.