(154) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Rates and Conceivable Barriers to Vaccination Among College Students

Objective : The primary objective was to assess the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among first-year college students over two consecutive years. The secondary objectives were to assess student knowledge of HPV and the vaccine and attempt to identify barriers to the HPV vaccination.

Methods: This study consisted of two phases including a retrospective health record review to quantify HPV vaccination rates and a prospective survey to assess student knowledge and identify potential vaccination barriers. Included subjects were aged 18-45 years. Transfer and graduate students were excluded. Immunization record data was obtained from campus electronic health records for 500 randomly selected first-year students matriculating fall 2019 and fall 2020. De-identified data included sex, age, incoming class year, and HPV vaccination history. Enrolled undergraduate students received the voluntary Qualtrics survey in spring 2021. The survey consisted of 16 multiple-choice questions to assess HPV and vaccine knowledge, identify potential vaccination barriers, and collect demographics.

Results: Of the 472 immunization records analyzed, 59.3% (n=280) had two or three documented HPV vaccine doses and 34.3% (n=162) had zero documented doses. In both cohorts, females had significantly higher HPV vaccination rates than males. Of the 619 survey respondents, 28.9% (n=179) and 39.4% (n=244) had not received information about the HPV vaccine from a healthcare provider or parent/guardian, respectively. Of those who did not receive the HPV vaccine, nearly 20% stated they did not plan to receive the vaccine due to fear of needles and/or side effects.

Conclusions: HPV vaccination rates within the campus community are below national targets. Results indicate a need for improvement in education and represent an opportunity for on-campus pharmacy-led HPV vaccination initiatives.