Comprehensive Cancer Control Efforts to Promote Human Papillomavirus Vaccination

Background:  Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage remains low in the U.S. The Community Guide includes evidence-based interventions to increase vaccination coverage through provider and community-based interventions. Little is known regarding the current role and activities of Comprehensive Cancer Control (CCC) programs in promoting HPV vaccination.

Methods:  We conducted a content review of CCC program action plans from 2012 - 2013 that were reported to the Chronic Disease Management Information System (CDMIS), a web-based program monitoring tool. Action plans were searched by response options for HPV vaccine or “HPV” as a keyword using the CDMIS search function. Content on five-year project period objectives and annual objectives were abstracted from the system into Excel and coded according to categories that reflect Community Guide-recommended approaches to increase vaccination and infrastructure-building strategies. Associated activities in the action plans were reviewed in CDMIS to resolve ambiguous information provided in annual objectives. Frequency counts and percentages were calculated by categories that described the approaches used.

Results:  Out of 69 funded CCC programs, 13 had specific annual objectives that addressed efforts to promote HPV vaccine. Four reported using recommended strategies, with most using multiple community-based interventions. Five programs reported activities to improve their ability to plan and implement interventions (i.e. build partnerships and assess data). Eight programs described interventions with insufficient evidence from the Community Guide, with community-wide education alone being most frequently reported.

Conclusions:  Few CCC programs specifically addressed HPV vaccination in their action plans. CCC programs and their coalitions are a potential resource to support implementation of evidence-based interventions found in The Community Guide. Additional efforts to promote HPV vaccine include consideration of promising practices to reach the adolescent population and a focus on strategies that remind both parents and health care providers and reduce missed opportunities for vaccination.