Askelson Publishes Study on HPV Vaccination Recommendations
Natoshia Askelson, senior research fellow in residence in the Health Policy Research Program, recently co-authored a study examining physician knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HPV vaccination among adults aged 27-45 years. The study stems from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation for Shared Clinical Decision-Making (SCDM) regarding HPV vaccinations for 27–45-year-old adults who are not adequately vaccinated.
The study utilized an online survey administered to randomly selected physicians practicing internal medicine, family medicine, or obstetrics and gynecology, and produced a sample size of 735 participants.
Their results found that at least a third of participating physicians from each practice reported having more HPV vaccine SCDM discussions with patients within the last 12 months. Further, a majority (79.8%) of respondents reported being aware of the SCDM recommendation, but only half answered an objective knowledge question about the SCDM recommendations correctly. These findings suggest that there are significant knowledge gaps among physicians regarding SCDM for HPV vaccination, and the elimination of these gaps could greatly improve access to HPV vaccination for those most likely to benefit.