Provider perspectives on multilevel barriers to HPV vaccination

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Physician recommendation is key to HPV vaccination acceptance.
• Understanding physician practices is vital for improving vaccine uptake.
• Current HPV vaccination rates in Florida require targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess HPV vaccination recommendation strategies among Florida physicians.
• To identify physician and practice characteristics associated with strong and consistent HPV vaccine recommendations.
• To gather physician suggestions for enhancing HPV vaccination rates.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 340 Florida physicians on recommendation strength, consistency, and presentation.
• Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify significant factors.
• Multinomial logistic regression to examine engagement in recommendation strategies.

Main Results:

• Vaccines for Children (VFC) provider status and not limiting vaccines per visit were linked to strong and consistent HPV vaccine recommendations.
• Healthcare team reminders and EMR-based reminders were associated with recommendation consistency and presentation.
• VFC providers and those using EMR-based reminders were more likely to engage in all recommendation strategies.

Conclusions:

• VFC provider status and practice characteristics significantly influence HPV vaccine recommendation quality.
• Targeted interventions should leverage EMR systems and highlight VFC program benefits.
• Improving provider education, patient education, and addressing vaccine costs are crucial for increasing HPV vaccination rates.