Moving Towards an HPV Free Idaho Through Statewide HPV Vaccination Day

Authors:

Charlene Cariou (Presenter)
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

Megan Keating, Idaho Immunization Program
Megan Czarniecki, American Cancer Society
Karen Sharpnack, Idaho Immunization Coalition

Public Health Statement: HPV vaccination is cancer prevention but vaccine uptake rates and awareness of benefits remain low in Idaho.

Purpose: The purpose of HPV Free Idaho’s statewide HPV Vaccination Day was to raise awareness among parents of adolescents and create a call to action to initiate or complete the vaccination series.

Methods/Approach: As a cancer prevention priority for Idaho, a group of stakeholders (Idaho Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, Idaho Immunization Program, American Cancer Society, Idaho Immunization Coalition), formed the group HPV Free Idaho. In an effort to increase community awareness and health care engagement, HPV Free Idaho facilitated a statewide HPV Vaccination Day during Cancer Prevention Month (February 2017). Media campaigns via radio and social media were conducted in January and February 2017 to raise awareness among parents of adolescents and promote participation in HPV Vaccination Day. Providers were recruited to host walk-in vaccination clinics on HPV Vaccination Day and promote HPV vaccination to their patients throughout cancer prevention month.

Results: HPV Vaccination Day efforts will be evaluated based on media campaign reach, number, and satisfaction of participating HPV Vaccination Day providers, and number of HPV Vaccinations administered during the media campaign period and on HPV vaccination day. Media campaign reach evaluation will be assessed based on radio PSA reach and social media post engagement. HPV Vaccination Day participating providers completed a post survey to assess the type of activities that occurred within the partner health center, the satisfaction of tools and resources provided, and the number of vaccines administered. Idaho’s statewide immunization register, Immunization Reminder Information System (IRIS), will be utilized to assess the number of vaccinations administered during the campaign period and on HPV Vaccination Day compared to previous years. Evaluation data will be available for analysis in May 2017.

Conclusions/Implications: Results will be used to inform future HPV Free Idaho efforts and if statewide HPV Vaccination events are successful in increasing vaccination series initiation and completion rates.