Projects
The HPV Working Group is currently working in the following areas:
Ongoing Projects
- Vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) have been available in the US since 2006, but coverage is low and often delayed beyond the recommended ages of 11–12 years. Therefore, we are conducting a case-control study to provide evidence-based information about the vaccine's effectiveness as used in real-world clinical practice, both overall and by age at the time of immunization.
- The rates of anal cancer have been rising in the US among both men and women. We are currently working a pilot population-based case-control study to determine the effectiveness of HPV vaccines as used in real-world clinical settings to prevent precursors of anal cancer in both men and women. Enrollment for this study will commence in the Fall of 2019
- The benefits of HPV vaccines extend beyond prevention of cervical cancer. We are currently conducting a study that is assessing the HPV vaccine’s impact with respect to reductions in the population-level prevalence of other HPV-related diseases, such as genital warts, oral cancers, vulvar cancers, vaginal cancer, anal cancers and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
- With national rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination continuing to fall far short of the Healthy People 2020 target of 80% coverage, there is an urgent need to identify strategies that lead to improved uptake. To address the problem of low HPV vaccine coverage, we are studying how an innovative, interactive mobile application ("app") could promote the consistent delivery of effective recommendations for adolescent vaccines. The app is designed to be used by parents and adolescents together with their doctors during a clinic visit. We will refine the prototype app that we have developed with feedback from parents, adolescents, and clinicians and then optimize it for use in the clinical setting.
- We are studying implementation of an inpatient postpartum HPV immunization initiative to improve catch-up vaccination rates. Through a mixed-methods approach we are studying implementation outcomes as well as facilitators and barriers from patient and provider perspectives. Through workflow observation, we are also studying how to best integrate postpartum HPV immunization with other postpartum vaccine processes and use health IT to facilitate this integration.
- We are studying inpatient vaccine formulary practices in the U.S. and provider practices with regards to expanded age approval of the HPV vaccine.
- Data analysis projects are ongoing that use National Immunization Survey – Teen to examine patterns of adolescent vaccine uptake including HPV vaccine.
- HPV Impact Monitoring Project Across CT (HPV-IMPACT) is a public health surveillance project by the CT Emerging Infections Program in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Public Health and funded by CDC. The purpose of this project is to monitor HPV vaccine impact on population-level trends in precancerous high-grade cervical lesions and associated HPV types.
Completed Projects
The Yale HPV Working Group hosted an HPV awareness booth at Yale New Haven Hospital’s annual Head and Neck Screening event for National Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Human Papillomavirus infection is a leading cause of oropharyngeal (back of tongue and throat) cancers, which are on the rise, but timely vaccination with HPV vaccine can prevent the types of HPV that cause most HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers. Shown here: Anna North (left), research assistant at the Yale School of Public Health, and Caitlin Hansen (right), a pediatric infectious disease fellow with the School of Medicine.
- An environmental scan was conducted to understand the current landscape related to HPV vaccine uptake in CT in four target areas: state policies including school requirements, school-based programs, clinician behaviors, and innovative eHealth solutions.
- A pilot project examined how school-based health centers could help to address missed opportunities for HPV vaccination.