Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Major
Nursing
Date of Defense
11-3-2025
Graduate Advisor
Jinnie Tkach DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC, College of Nursing
Committee
Paula Prouhet PhD, RN, CHSE
Lynelle Hinden, DC, DNP, FNP-BC
Abstract
Increasing Pediatric HPV Vaccination Rates
Abstract
Problem: The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that affects more than 80% of the population within the United States (Eisenhauer et al., 2020). HPV can develop into cervical, anogenital, and oropharyngeal cancers (Eisenhauer et al., 2020). About 4,000 individuals die from cervical cancer alone each year (O’Leary, 2022). The HPV vaccine, though recommended by the ACIP and AAP, is below national vaccination rates in comparison to other vaccines (O’Leary, 2022).
Methods: This quality improvement project is a non-randomized controlled trial that observed HPV vaccine dose completion rates for patients aged 9-14 at a community clinic in St. Louis, Missouri. The intervention included a patient reminder SMS message sent through an application called Doximity to remind patients their second dose (completion) dose of the HPV vaccine was due. Information collected from the intervention included how many appointments were made for the receival of the vaccine and how many patients received the completion dose of the HPV vaccine.
Results: A total of eight patients were eligible for the quality improvement intervention. Throughout the three-month intervention period between March 24th to June 24th, 2025, no patients in the sample were observed to have received the completion dose of the HPV vaccine (n = 0). As no participants produced a response from the intervention, no inferential statistical testing could be performed.
Implications for practice: More studies and quality improvement projects are needed to determine the appropriate method of increasing HPV vaccination compliance to the recommended 80% that Healthy People 2020 recommend (Eisenhauer et al., 2021).
Recommended Citation
Nicholas, Brooke A., "Increasing Pediatric HPV Vaccination Rates" (2025). Dissertations. 1570.
https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/1570
Included in
Clinical Epidemiology Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Family Practice Nursing Commons, Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Commons, Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons, International Public Health Commons, Male Urogenital Diseases Commons, Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing Commons, Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Commons, Patient Safety Commons, Pediatric Nursing Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons, Quality Improvement Commons, Virology Commons, Virus Diseases Commons, Viruses Commons