HPV vaccination: Population approaches for improving rates

Abstract

Objective: To review the literature on interventions to increase HPV vaccinations and assess whether The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations are supported by current evidence.

Methods: We used a PubMed search to identify studies that assessed interventions that looked at provider assessment and feedback, provider reminders, client reminder and recall, and clinic based education programs.

Results: Of the 13 studies identified, 8 included client reminder and recall interventions, 4 included provider assessment and feedback and/or provider reminders and 2 included clinic based education. 11 of the 13 studies demonstrated a positive effect on HPV vaccine initiation or completion. Provider assessment and feedback studies were more likely to report a positive effect on HPV vaccine initiation than on series completion, while client reminder recall interventions more frequently produced an effect on series completion than on initiation.

Conclusions: There is evidence to support the application of the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations specifically to HPV vaccination both for client reminder and recall programs and for provider assessment and feedback interventions. Multiple targeted approaches will be needed to substantially impact HPV vaccine rates.

Keywords: assessment and feedback; human papilloma virus; patient education; reminder and recall systems; vaccination.