HPV Vaccine for Native American Women

1. HPV Vaccine for Native American Women Yuzo Arima, MPH Dept. of Epidemiology University of Washington NPCC Meeting, 12 Mar 2007

2. Background and Rationale • NA women twice as likely as white women to die from cervical cancer • NA women have barriers to well-organized, high quality Pap smear screening programs • New HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer and could greatly benefit NA women • Vaccine freely available to NA females <19 y.o. through Vaccines for Children (VfC) program*** • Limited awareness of HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccine in NA female population

3. Main Objective • To determine if a culturally appropriate communication tool can increase HPV vaccination rates among young NA females (~12 y.o.). • Intervention: Mail pamphlet, website, or video • Target young women before sexual activity initiates

4. Approaches • Key informant interviews, focus groups to develop intervention • Randomized control trial: randomize one group to get intervention to see if it works • Mothers of girls? • Health care providers? • Disseminate findings so intervention (if effective) can be widely implemented

5. Why not just mandate HPV vaccine to everyone at risk? • Vaccine still new and not without controversy • Don’t know if/by how much intervention will work • Better to give choice and allow for informed decision

6. Questions? THANK YOU!