November 27, 2023- Mayo Clinic researchers demonstrated a nearly 20% increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among adolescents through a combination intervention approach, a new Mayo Clinic study finds. The strategy involved mailing reminders to parents about their child’s eligibility for the HPV vaccine and simultaneously giving healthcare providers feedback about successful HPV vaccine administration among the patients they had recently seen.
The findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, suggest healthcare practices could adopt this evidence-based approach to boost HPV vaccination uptake in 11- and 12-year-olds.
Human papillomaviruses cause viral infections transmitted sexually through skin-to-skin contact. HPV infections may occur without symptoms or signs in late adolescence or early adulthood and affect both males and females. The virus can cause several types of cancers, including of the cervix, anus, genital area, mouth and throat.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 37,000 HPV-linked cancers occur each year in the U.S., all of which may be prevented by the HPV vaccination.