The benefits of adolescent vaccines are well known for preventing meningococcal infection and human papillomavirus (HPV)-related pre-cancerous lesions. Yet, many adolescents in the United States (US) remain under-vaccinated, with vaccination rates among rural adolescents significantly lower than among their urban peers. In addition, there are urban-rural disparities in the coverage of HPV vaccine, particularly in Southern states like North and South Carolina, which currently fall below the Healthy People 2020 goal of ≥80% coverage. The goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a school-based intervention for increasing vaccine uptake among adolescents in rural North and South Carolina.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
2
The intervention will consist of 3 primary components: 1) school nurse training and technical support for promoting adolescent vaccination (Tdap, MenACWY, HPV) and strengthening existing school nursing vaccination programming, 2) caregiver-targeted educational materials that are disseminated via school nurses, and 3) tools and resources to facilitate linkage to vaccination providers in the local community. Existing materials will be used in the intervention such as resources available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Middle School Health Starts Here tool kit from the National Association of School Nurses and the National HPV Roundtable. Technical support includes the study team working with local school nurses to identify educational materials available from national and statewide sources.
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, United States
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Difference in the Percentage of Adolescents Who Ever Received at Least One Dose of HPV Vaccination in the Intervention Group After the Intervention Implementation Compared With Before Intervention Implementation
HPV vaccination status (received at least one versus no doses) of middle schoolers (by district) will be obtained from official vaccination records before and after intervention implementation.
Time frame: Baseline, 9 months
Difference in Percentage of Adolescents Who Have Completed the HPV Vaccination Series (2 Doses Depending on Age at Vaccination Initiation) in the Intervention Group After Implementation Compared With Before Intervention Implementation
HPV vaccination status (received at least one versus no doses) of middle schoolers (by district) will be obtained from official vaccination records before and after intervention implementation.
Time frame: Baseline, 9 months
Fidelity of Intervention Across Intervention Schools
Score items (0-100%) from a study specific checklist (Fidelity Checklist) will be completed by school nurses from intervention schools with a high score (100%) indicating more adherence to the study intervention and 0% indicating the worse score and less adherence to the study intervention
Time frame: 9 months
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