Expanding opportunities for HPV vaccination in medically underserved areas of east Texas

We are requesting renewal of our highly effective HPV vaccination program focused on combating cancer in far east Texas. Continuation of this program is critical, as east Texas has one of the highest rates of vaccine hesitancy and cervical cancer in the state. During the first two cycles, we administered over 9,000 doses of the HPV vaccine to adolescents and adults seeking care at one of two UTMB clinics located near the Louisiana border in Beaumont and Orange, Texas. Our multi-pronged intervention almost doubled initiation rates among individuals approached by a patient navigator and led to completion rates exceeding 75%. In fact, the clinic providers, nurses, and administrators we worked with have all expressed a strong desire to continue this program, recognizing the dramatic difference it has had on improving HPV vaccination rates among the low-income individuals they serve. In the next cycle, we will use our proven techniques to raise vaccination rates at a third clinic in New Caney, Texas, which serves the eastern portions of Montgomery and Harris counties. This will increase the number of counties served from 13 to 15. The New Caney clinic was selected due to its strong need for an intervention. Strikingly, only 12% of the clinic’s eligible patients have completed all required HPV vaccine doses. All three clinics serve a highly diverse population (49% Hispanic, 27% Black, and 22% White) and 80% receive public insurance or are uninsured. Moreover, these patients often experience many other barriers to cancer preventative services, including lack of accurate information, financial barriers, and language barriers.