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Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections cause approximately 26,800 cancers annually among U.S. men and women, cervical cancer being the most common. HPV vaccination is recommended routinely for U.S. girls and boys at age 11–12 years, and for those not previously vaccinated, through age 26 and age 21 years for women and men, respectively. Our objective was to assess current HPV vaccination practices among STD clinics in the United States.
Methods: We surveyed a geographically diverse convenience sample of U.S. STD clinics identified by members of the National Coalition of STD Directors within 65 state, territorial, and local jurisdictions. An online multiple-choice survey about current clinical services and barriers was administered to clinic directors or designees during October 2014–February 2015. We tabulated responses and performed a descriptive analysis.
Results: Survey respondents included 78 clinics from 46 states and territories. Among the 78 clinics, 52 (66.7%) offered any HPV vaccination, and a total of 37 (47.4%) participated in the Vaccines for Children Program. Among 26 clinics not offering HPV vaccine, the most commonly reported barrier was poor reimbursement, reported by 11 clinics (42.3%).
Conclusions: By early 2015, in a geographically diverse group of 78 STD clinics, most offered nationally-recommended HPV vaccination, but financing remained an important barrier. Increasing participation in federally funded programs such as Vaccines for Children might reduce such barriers, at least in part. Further research could identify additional strategies for STD clinics to increase provision of HPV vaccination according to national guidelines.