WED-111 - Evaluating Provider Perceptions for Routine HPV Vaccination at Age 9

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover how we developed a survey based on HPV shared measurement and evidence-based content to assess provider perceptions of starting routine HPV vaccination at age 9, focusing on their confidence, willingness, and motivations. This session details the steps taken to design a concise, targeted survey that captures essential information while accommodating providers' limited time. We collaborated with a provider champion in the development of the survey to gain provider insights into implementation practicality. The survey is designed to generate actionable insights that will inform the creation of a tailored, interactive evidence-based educational toolkit aimed at improving early HPV vaccination practices.

Detailed abstract description: Assessing providers’ attitudes and behaviors related to vaccination is a crucial first step in provider recommendation education. A simple, but effective method to measuring provider attitudes and behavior is developing a brief survey or questionnaire. Although organizations such as American Cancer Society (ACS) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAAP) recommend starting HPV vaccination at age 9, many providers are only aware of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines that recommend routine HPV vaccination beginning at age 11. To better understand providers’ attitudes towards beginning HPV vaccination at earlier ages, we developed a survey to gauge providers' confidence, willingness, and motivations to start HPV vaccination at age 9.

We collaborated with a provider champion to gain insights into survey design and implementation practicality. The collaborative effort behind the survey design focuses on capturing key factors that promote earlier HPV vaccination. Survey items are designed to evaluate providers’ confidence in routinely recommending the HPV vaccine at age 9, addressing parental concerns about vaccine safety, and the age at which they currently feel comfortable making such recommendations. Core messages from the National HPV Roundtable and ACS aimed at promoting earlier HPV vaccination, have been adapted into survey items to assess key facts and communication strategies that could serve as potential motivators for providers. These findings will inform the creation of an educational and interactive toolkit tailored to enhance provider engagement and practices.

Additionally, the survey includes items that examine how perceptions related to HPV vaccination vary among different clinical and non-clinical roles within the healthcare facility. Understanding potential variations is crucial for identifying specific challenges and opportunities to develop targeted strategies that address the needs of each healthcare role, ultimately supporting a cohesive clinic-level effort in promoting HPV vaccination.

Attendees will discover how insights from the survey will directly influence the creation of a tailored educational toolkit designed to enhance provider confidence and motivation for recommending routine HPV vaccination at age 9. They will also see how thorough planning and survey development can lead to more effective strategies for improving vaccination practices, demonstrating the critical role of evidence-based planning in achieving better health outcomes.