Maksymilian Rejmer

Public Health Program – HPV Vaccination

Jamaica, Queens free of HPV – Get your HPV vaccination now.

Define the problem:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an infection that can be transferred during sexual contact. It is a very common infection. Almost each of us will get infected with HPV during our life as long as we are sexually active. According to CDC website HPV can exist as many different types of virus strain. Cancer and genital warts can be an outcome of getting infected with certain types of HPV.

Reducing the risk of getting infected with HPV is a big concern among medical professionals, especially for the fact that we can get infected with HPV at a very young age. Not having sexual contact is the only way of avoiding an infection with HPV.

For some of it is not going to be a possible way of dealing with the problem, and if we decide to stay sexually active, we need a protection from the virus. On the market there are two vaccines that have been developed to prevent Human papillomavirus. These are Cervarix and Gardasil, and are to be used for varying types of HPV. An alternative tool to utilize in reducing the risk of HPV is using a condom.

There is also an option of reducing the possibility of getting infected for females, which is a pap smear every 3 years beginning at 21 years of age. CDC website offers information that women between the ages of 30-65 should get screened every 5 years with a pap smear and HPV test combination. People with HIV/AIDS should have a pap smear done more frequently, at 6 month intervals and then annually if the tests are negative.

Getting a Pap smear test would be a way to prevent developing a cervical cancer, rather than reducing an HPV infection. Once you are infected with HPV a Pap smear is not going to change the diagnosis. Pap smear looks for pre-cancers, cell changes on the cervix that may become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately. The HPV test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes. Reduction of risk includes screenings, prophylactic immunizations, and lifestyle choices.

Identify Risk Factors:

It is very important to get vaccinated against HPV before becoming sexually active. Lauri Markowitz, M.D., a medical epidemiologist with the CDC says that studies show that many parents wait until their daughters are older before getting the shot, which is recommended for girls 11 or 12, so they are protected before ever being exposed to the virus. I think it is very important for us – future health care providers, to be ready to educate teenage patients and their parents on benefits of getting the vaccination, and possible risk of rejecting it. That is why implementing this program is such an important agenda.

Identify Protective Factors:

Just like it was said above, to be safe, the youth needs to be vaccinated. A 3-dose series of HPV vaccines is recommended routinely for boys and girls aged 11–12 years. Catch-up immunization is recommended between ages 13-18. Thorough information about this program will be offered at Jamaica middle schools and high schools. According to statistics presented by health.ny.gov, only about 30% of females between 13 and 18 years old, and residing in Jamaica, Queens, received the vaccination. This shows how big of a necessity it is to implement this program in order to prevent future HPV infections, and more complicated cases such as cervical cancer.

Develop and Test Prevention Strategies:

Ensure Widespread Adaptation:

1. Get vaccinated.

This idea will be mainly addressed at middle schools and high schools in Jamaica, Queens. A group of health care professionals will personally visit schools and present the program outline to school principals and other faculty. Pamphlets will be delivered and information regarding short lectures presenting the need for HPV vaccination among population age 11-12 will be offered. Separate talk will be offered to parents of adolescents attending those schools. It is necessary for the parents to be also aware of the problem, especially because if the fact that this youth would be vaccinated at that young age for the prevention of a sexually transmitted disease.

Program Cost and Sustainability:

Program will be fully sponsored by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. A separate proposal presenting the information regarding the HPV vaccination program will be submitted prior to obtaining necessary funds. A pharmaceutical industry will be also contacted in order to provide discounted HPV vaccinations. A proposal will be sent to Merck (Gardasil maker). Current approximate cost of the program:

6780 adolescents age 11-12 residing in Jamaica, Queens –> 32% of this population was vaccinated with 3-step HPV vaccine –> remaining 4610 requires vaccination. Full 3-shot treatment would cost around $450 per child, which comes to $2074500.

The Program will be held for at least 2-3 years, until the community realizes the need for HPV vaccination and its important health outcomes.

RE-AIM Data Collection Strategy:

 

Sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/whatishpv.html

http://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/features/should-your-child-get-hpv-vaccine#1

https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/human_papillomavirus/

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/data/2015chp-qn12.pdf