HPV Vaccination Rate Depends on “How” Providers Communicate

Can doctors, nurses and pharmacists change a parents’ mind regarding the importance of human papillomavirus (HPV) cancer vaccinations?

Yes, is the answer from a new study. 

This study’s analysis reveals that when healthcare providers engage hesitant parents and immediately address their vaccine concern, same-day HPV vaccination often takes place.

Additionally, this data reveals that even parents making assertive, somewhat negative statements, are amenable to influence by providers.

For their small study, Laura Aubree Shay, Ph.D. and a team of investigators from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, looked at 43 new clinic visits when children were brought in to receive the HPV vaccine.

Parents expressed hesitation to allow their children to be vaccinated in 37 of these visits. Based on the providers' communications, the vaccine acceptance varied:

• When the doctor did not challenge the parents, and acquiesced, the child was not immunized.
• But, when the doctor relied on both persistence and acquiescence 15 percent of the patients received the HPV vaccination.
• And when a doctor relied on persistence, 94 percent of the children received the HPV vaccinations.

These UT researchers wrote, "Our findings reveal an important missed opportunity when providers simply acquiesce to parental vaccine hesitation."

This new study supports previous vaccine acceptance research, such as:

• Doctors’ presumptive language increases HPV vaccine acceptance 
• How to optimize adolescent immunization 
• Community pharmacists must work in conjunction with physicians 

HPV vaccines can be found in most pharmacies and physician offices in the USA. To easily schedule an HPV vaccination appointment, please visit this page. 

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides HPV vaccine prices for general information. 

And vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.