Improving Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Knowledge

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. While some HPV strains can cause cervical and other cancers, including oropharyngeal cancer, a vaccine is available that can help prevent infection. However, vaccine uptake is falling short of national objectives, as the “Healthy People 2030” report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a goal of 80% acceptance among the target population.

In an effort to improve compliance — and with the understanding that professional recommendations are a key factor in HPV vaccine uptake — an international team investigated a brief online educational intervention designed to raise awareness of the vaccine and increase recommendations from healthcare professionals. Reporting in the paper, “Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Education and Knowledge Among Medical and Dental Trainees,” published in the Journal of Cancer Education, the authors note HPV curricula within medical and dental schools are not standardized; nevertheless, their findings indicate the online intervention “improved baseline HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge and attitudes toward recommending the vaccine to patients.” Based on these results, they assert this tool could easily be adopted as a means “to effectively disseminate HPV-related information and improve current HPV vaccination practices.”

From Decisions in Dentistry. April 2023;9(4):9.