Abstract
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is cited as causing six different types of cancer in men and women and affects both genders equally (Gargano et al., 2017). Improving HPV vaccination rates will decrease cancer rates. HPV vaccination rates in rural areas are below the HealthyPeople 2030 goal of 80%, with rates in rural Nebraska showing that only 62.9% of adolescents age 13-17 are fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccination (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019). Inadequate health care provider education and recommendation, caregiver lack of knowledge, and an inability for health care providers to discuss objections to the vaccination negatively impact HPV vaccination rates. This quality improvement project aimed to increase Human Papillomavirus vaccination in a rural Nebraska family practice clinic. The project included education to caregivers and health care providers to increase HPV vaccination and the importance of vaccinating early. The project educated providers and their patients' guardians in the age range of 9-20 during the project time frame. Education was delivered to the providers in a PowerPoint video recording due to COVID-19 and adolescents' caregivers in a PowerPoint handout. Pre and post-surveys were completed by both the providers and caregivers. Surveys identified improved knowledge regarding the importance of HPV vaccination with increased knowledge level in 6 out of 9 caregivers surveyed. Two of the nine caregivers chose to vaccinate their child for HPV at this visit, with four who chose to vaccinate later. This project shows a continued need to educate health care providers and caregivers regarding the importance of HPV vaccination to reduce future cancer incidence.