Childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors are at risk of HPV-related cancers, yet HPV vaccination remains lower than in the general population. The purpose of this study was to examine HPV vaccination initiation and completion among CAYA survivors and to assess the influence of sociodemographic and cancer-specific factors on vaccination. We used data from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort, 5 + year cancer survivors, treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, eligible for HPV vaccination since 2006 (year of FDA licensure in the USA). Primary outcomes were HPV vaccination initiation and completion. HPV vaccination was assessed between 2011 and 2020. We performed descriptive statistics and evaluated associations using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis using SAS version 9.4. We included 2907 CAYA survivors. HPV vaccination initiation was reported by 27.31

College students remain at increased risk for acquiring human papillomavirus (HPV), yet HPV vaccination coverage remains suboptimal despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. This study examined predictors of HPV vaccination and HPV- and HPV vaccine-related knowledge, beliefs, and hesitancy among undergraduate students at a southern United States university. An online cross-sectional survey was administered to undergraduate students aged 18–26 years in November 2024. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, vaccination status, and HPV-related measures. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with HPV vaccination status while estimating adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95

Amidst the vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 Pandemic, rollout was expanded to regional and supermarket pharmacies to ease the burden on traditional deliveries. To address low vaccine uptake, the initiative was expanded to include Black-owned barbershops and hair salons as sources for accurate information and to administer vaccines where possible. While the rollout was well-intentioned, geographical disparities of vaccination rates (VR) persisted. This report investigates the viability of expanding vaccine delivery systems to include Dollar General (DG) locations as vaccination partners to address geographic disparities in vaccine access.Figure 1.Linear trend (95% Confidence Interval) between Alabama County COVID-19 vaccination rates and ratio of Dollar General locations to COVID-19 vaccination providers With low ranking COVID-19 vaccination rates among US states, Alabama (AL) was chosen to investigate the relationship between VR, vaccine providers, and DG locations. County percentages of people who completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccinations were sourced from the AL Department of Public Health (ADPH) COVID-19 Dashboard. COVID-19 vaccine locations (publicly provided by CDC PLACES and ADPH dashboard) and DG locations were geocoded and summarized by County. General linear models were used to assess associations with VR, including a ratio of the number of DGs and vaccination providers. Among all 67 counties in AL, the median VR was 44.1% (IQR: 41.5%, 48.3%). The median DG-to-provider ratio was 1.1 (IQR: 0.9, 1.7). Components of the Social Deprivation Index were found to have an inverse relationship with VR, including lack of education (p = .002) and unemployment (p = .005). While not statistically significant, county VR decreased as the DG-to-provider ratio increased (p = .058, Figure 1). Among the five counties with the highest VR ( >55%), four out of five had DG-to-provider ratio < 1.0 (https://jbassler.shinyapps.io/AL-COVID19-DG/). In areas with historically low VR, or limited access to vaccine providers, DGs in these areas provide a scalable solution to expanding vaccine delivery. In addition to their distribution network, DG creates the point-of-contact needed for vaccine outreach. The strategic co-location of mobile vaccine initiatives at DGs in vulnerable communities provides a scalable method to achieve geographically equitable vaccine coverage. All Authors: No reported disclosures

Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk for human papillomavirus (HPV) cancers yet are less likely to be vaccinated against HPV than the general population. This scoping review identified studies describing barriers, facilitators, and strategies to improve HPV vaccination in this vulnerable population. We searched PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Web of Science to identify full-length studies, published in English, from July 2006 to June 2024. We excluded survivorship studies unrelated to HPV vaccination and non-empirical studies (e.g. commentaries). Twenty studies were identified. Multi-level barriers reported occurred in patients- (e.g. vaccine safety-concerns), provider- (e.g. inconsistent guidelines), and system-levels (e.g. lack of vaccine availability). The primary facilitator was the health care provider’s recommendation. Potential strategies for increased vaccination included clear recommendations and digital reminders. This review provides valuable insights for developing strategies to improve HPV vaccination coverage and reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers among childhood cancer survivors.

Objectives. To examine the accessibility of hospital facilities with maternity care services in 1 rural county in Alabama in preparation for the initiation of prenatal care services at a federally qualified health center. Methods. We analyzed driving distance (in miles) from maternal city of residence in Conecuh County, Alabama to hospital of delivery, using 2019–2021 vital statistics data and geographic information system (GIS) software. Results. A total of 370 births to mothers who have home addresses in Conecuh County were reported, and 368 of those were in hospital facilities. The majority of deliveries were less than 30 miles (median = 23 miles) from the maternal city of residence. Some women traveled more than 70 miles for obstetrical care. Conclusions. Pregnant patients in Conecuh County experience significant geographic barriers related to perinatal care access. Using GIS for this analysis is a promising approach to better understand the unique challenges of pregnant individuals in this rural population. Public health policy efforts need to be geographically tailored to address these disparities. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S4):S330–S333. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307692 )

Purpose: The current study sought to determine if the release of COVID-19 vaccines influenced Alabama mothers' attitudes and behaviors regarding HPV vaccination of their adolescent children. Methods: A social media survey was conducted August - September 2022 among mothers of adolescents ages 9-18, who self-identified as Alabama residents and their child(ren)'s primary medical decision maker. The survey assessed demographics, vaccine knowledge and opinions, vaccination history, influences on vaccination decisions, and how COVID-19 vaccine release affected vaccine opinions. Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted. Results: Of 241 responses, most participants were white (82.0 %, n = 196), non-Hispanic (96.6 %, n = 230), and privately insured (64.5 %, n = 151), with annual household incomes >=$61,000 (45.4 %, n = 103). The majority (60.8 %) reported that their child either had or planned to receive the HPV vaccine. The release of COVID-19 vaccines did not change the majority of parental opinions towards HPV, with 78.5 % (n = 161) reporting no change. Among those who experienced a change, 25 % (n = 5) reported an increased likelihood of having their child vaccinated for HPV and 75 % (n = 15) reported a decrease in likelihood. Moderate and high HPV knowledge scores were associated in multivariable analysis with increased likelihood of having their child vaccinated for HPV ("moderate" knowledge AOR: 12.4, 95% CI: 1.98-78.1; "high" knowledge AOR: 12.8, 95% CI: 2.00-82.1). Positive HPV opinion scores in the univariable analysis similarly showed increased odds (AOR = 1.5). Conclusions: These findings indicate that, in this population, COVID-19 vaccine release did not significantly impact subsequent HPV vaccination decision making. Parental perceptions regarding vaccination are critical to informing future interventions.

Introduction COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce the risk of complications and hospitalizations due to this virus. When COVID-19 vaccines first became commercially available, roughly 30% of U.S. adults reported being hesitant to receive these newly developed vaccines, and 15% said they would not receive the vaccine. However, by May 2021, 19% of adults were vaccine-hesitant, and 13% refused to vaccinate against COVID-19. It is critical to understand why adults’ degree of willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 changed over time to plan for future pandemics and vaccination campaigns. Methods We conducted two waves of survey research over five months (January and May 2021) with a panel of 890 U.S. adults. One survey question assessed willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. The response option included a slider scale ranging from 0 (signifying complete unwillingness) to 10 (complete willingness). We asked participants whose willingness score changed by more than one point to report their rationale for their change in perceptions. We conducted a conventional content analysis on all qualitative responses. Results We analyzed qualitative responses for 289 participants, 54.7% of whom had not been vaccinated against COVID-19 by May 2021. Among those who remained unvaccinated, 36.1% reported increased willingness to vaccinate. The most commonly cited reasons for becoming more willing to receive the vaccine include believing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, protecting against the pandemic, and desiring to return to pre-pandemic life. Reasons for increased COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy include vaccine safety concerns, the low perceived need for the vaccine, distrust in how COVID-19 vaccines are made and of larger institutions such as the government and pharmaceutical companies, and concerns about vaccine effectiveness. Conclusion Findings illuminate the rationale behind individuals’ changes in their degree of willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. It is critical to incorporate these considerations in future vaccine rollout initiatives to increase the public’s vaccine confidence.

From the Fieldis a semiregular column that provides insight into the experiences of local, county, or state health professionals on the frontlines of health emergencies. National Association of County and City Health Officials members share the challenges faced and the solutions developed as they prepared for and responded to disasters, epidemics, and other major health issues. The aim of sharing these practical experiences is to provide other public health champions with the information and tools they need to help keep their communities safe even in extreme situations. The COVID-19 pandemic created an extraordinarily high demand for personal protective equipment (PPE). Acute need and supply chain disruptions made hospitals, emergency medical services, and other critical care agencies particularly vulnerable to PPE shortages. In March 2020, King County, Washington, developed computational tools, operating procedures, and data visualizations to fulfill its responsibilities to prioritize, allocate, and distribute scarce PPE equitably and efficiently during a public health emergency. King County distributed over 1.6 million gowns, 22 million gloves, 3.9 million surgical masks, and 1.5 million N95 respirators (among other items) during its PPE distribution mission. An algorithm processed resource requests from the community, with respect to available inventory, emergency allocation policies, prioritization constraints, estimated PPE use rates, agency-specific needs, and other parameters. With these inputs and constraints, the requests were translated into instructions for fulfillment and delivery and several tabular and graphical data visualizations were produced for quality assurance and transparency. Access to timely, relevant, and stable data was a constant challenge, and constraints invariably changed as the emergency response unfolded. King County's PPE distribution mission provides a useful case study in how to develop a scalable and data-driven approach to resource allocation and distribution under emergency response conditions.

In early 2022 in the U.S., rural adults were the least likely to vaccinate against COVID-19 due to vaccine hesitancy and reduced healthcare access. This study explored the factors influencing rural adults' COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and their acceptance of pharmacist-administered vaccination. We utilized phone-based semi-structured interviews with 30 adults living in rural regions of one southwestern state and analyzed the data using a team-based thematic analysis approach. Vaccine-willing participants described knowing other people affected by the virus and their desired protection from the virus. They reported trusting scientific institutions and the government to provide safe vaccines. Vaccine-hesitant populations, however, feared that the COVID-19 vaccine development process had been rushed, compromising the safety of these newer vaccines. Although they differed in the news sources they preferred for receiving COVID-19 vaccine information, both vaccine-willing and vaccine-hesitant participants described trusting local authorities, such as healthcare providers and county government officials, to provide accurate COVID-19 vaccine information. Regarding the acceptability of pharmacist-administered COVID-19 vaccinations, all but one participant described their acceptance of this healthcare delivery approach. Future outreach should leverage rural adults' trust in local sources, including community pharmacists, deemed more convenient access points to healthcare, when addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has the highest prevalence of all sexually transmitted infections in the United States (U.S.). Despite the effectiveness in preventing HPV-related cancers, HPV vaccination rates were still low among young adults. Thus, this study aimed to (1) investigate HPV vaccination initiation and completion rates among college students, (2) examine relevant factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion. A convenient sample of 327 college students was recruited from universities in the Deep South of the U.S. via online surveys. Logistic regressions were conducted to examine factors associated with HPV vaccination initiation and completion. About 54% of participants in the current study initiated HPV vaccination, and most of the participants who initiated the vaccination completed the series (52%). Participants who were female (odds ratio [OR] = 3.01, confidence interval [CI] = 1.38 to 6.58; OR = 2.28, CI = 1.07 to 4.85), aware of the HPV tests (OR = 16.53, CI = 5.60 to 48.83; OR = 7.36, CI = 2.99 to 18.13), and aware that 'men should have HPV vaccination' (OR = 2.33, CI = 1.07 to 5.09; OR = 3.27, CI = 1.50 to 7.12) were more likely to initiate the HPV vaccination and complete the vaccine series. The finding that only half of the students initiated and completed the HPV vaccine series indicates that further studies and intervention strategies are needed. Particular attention should be focused on college student populations who are male and with little HPV health knowledge.

BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to HPV vaccination initiation and completion, especially the role of health knowledge, among college students in a southern state.METHODS:College students ages 17-45 (n=1,708) were analyzed in this study. Primary outcomes were HPV vaccine series initiation and completion; binary logistic regressions were performed to identify associated factors.RESULTS:Among total participants, students who were aware that HPV could be transmitted even without symptoms were less likely to initiate HPV vaccination. However, among students who have initiated the vaccine series, those who were aware that HPV could be transmitted without symptoms and that men should receive the HPV vaccine were more likely to complete the vaccine series. Other significant variables included age, gender, race, and international student status.CONCLUSION:Future studies are needed to investigate students' concerns regarding initiating HPV vaccination and how to effectively motivate students to initiate and complete the HPV vaccine series.

Objectives: Long COVID can significantly impact a patient's quality of life. Defined as persistence or emergence of symptoms 4+ weeks after initial COVID-19 diagnosis, long COVID can result in functional impairments, pulmonary issues, and neuropsychiatric conditions, among others. This study aims to identify long COVID risk factors and prevalence in a south Alabama (US) patient population.Study design: This was a longitudinal cohort study.Methods: Postdiagnosis standardized phone interviews (baseline, 6 months, and 12 months) from April 2020 to July 2021 with patients testing positive through a large healthcare system. Interviews gathered data on sociodemographics, comorbidities, acute illness, and long COVID. Relationships between 1+ ongoing symptoms and variables of interest were assessed using a generalized estimating equation to conduct multivariate analysis.Results: Of the 516 participants, most were female (65%) and African American (57%, n = 293), with a median (interquartile range) age of 41.1 (25.3-54.6) years. Retention was 70% (n = 359) at 6 months and 58% (n = 301) at 12 months. Participants reporting 1+ persistent symptoms were 20% and 17% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Illness severity (P < 0.0001) and COVID-related emergency room visit with hospital admission at the time of diagnosis (P = 0.0018) were significantly associated with increased long COVID risk.Conclusions: This study found substantial rates of long COVID within our population, with stable rates at 6 and 12 months, indicating illness persistence. Our findings support growing concern for long COVID as a persistent issue within the medical community, with potential to impact patient health for years. Larger, more uniform studies are required to further characterize disease risk factors and clinical course to inform the disease management.& COPY; 2023 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PURPOSE To improve skin cancer screening among survivors of childhood cancer treated with radiotherapy where skin cancers make up 58% of all subsequent neoplasms. Less than 30% of survivors currently complete recommended skin cancer screening. PATIENTS AND METHODS This randomized controlled comparative effectiveness trial evaluated patient and provider activation (PAE + MD) and patient and provider activation with teledermoscopy (PAE + MD + TD) compared with patient activation alone (PAE), which included print materials, text messaging, and a website on skin cancer risk factors and screening behaviors. Seven hundred twenty-eight participants from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (median age at baseline 44 years), age > 18 years, treated with radiotherapy as children, and without previous history of skin cancer were randomly assigned (1:1:1). Primary outcomes included receiving a physician skin examination at 12 months and conducting a skin self-examination at 18 months after intervention. RESULTS Rates of physician skin examinations increased significantly from baseline to 12 months in all three intervention groups: PAE, 24%-39%, relative risk [RR], 1.65, 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.08; PAE + MD, 24% to 39%, RR, 1.56, 95% CI, 1.25 to 1.97; PAE + MD + TD, 24% to 46%, RR, 1.89, 95% CI, 1.51 to 2.37. The increase in rates did not differ between groups (P = .49). Similarly, rates of skin self-examinations increased significantly from baseline to 18 months in all three groups: PAE, 29% to 50%, RR, 1.75, 95% CI, 1.42 to 2.16; PAE + MD, 31% to 58%, RR, 1.85, 95% CI, 1.52 to 2.26; PAE + MD + TD, 29% to 58%, RR, 1.95, 95% CI, 1.59 to 2.40, but the increase in rates did not differ between groups (P = .43). CONCLUSION Although skin cancer screening rates increased more than 1.5-fold in each of the intervention groups, there were no differences between groups. Any of these interventions, if implemented, could improve skin cancer prevention behaviors among childhood cancer survivors.

This study aims to examine the factors associated with the level of HPV infection and HPV vaccine awareness among rural African Americans living in the Black Belt region of Alabama. A cross-sectional survey on cancer screening and health behaviors was conducted in the Black Belt region of Alabama. Adults (18 years or older) recruited through convenience sampling completed the self-administered survey. Binary logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with HPV infection and HPV vaccine awareness among African American participants. Slightly more than half of the participants were aware of HPV (62.5%) and HPV vaccine (62.1%). Married or partnered participants had lower awareness of HPV or HPV vaccine. Family cancer history and self-reported health status were positively associated with both HPV and HPV vaccine awareness. In addition, employment was positively associated with HPV awareness, and participation in social groups was positively associated with HPV vaccine awareness. Tailored educational interventions that consider our findings might increase HPV and HPV vaccine awareness and contribute to better vaccine uptakes.

Background Symptoms in patients with advanced cancer are often inadequately captured during encounters with the healthcare team. Emerging evidence demonstrates that weekly electronic home-based patient-reported symptom monitoring with automated alerts to clinicians reduces healthcare utilization, improves health-related quality of life, and lengthens survival. However, oncology practices have lagged in adopting remote symptom monitoring into routine practice, where specific patient populations may have unique barriers. One approach to overcoming barriers is utilizing resources from value-based payment models, such as patient navigators who are ideally positioned to assume a leadership role in remote symptom monitoring implementation. This implementation approach has not been tested in standard of care, and thus optimal implementation strategies are needed for large-scale roll-out. Methods This hybrid type 2 study design evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of remote symptom monitoring for all patients and for diverse populations in two Southern academic medical centers from 2021 to 2026. This study will utilize a pragmatic approach, evaluating real-world data collected during routine care for quantitative implementation and patient outcomes. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) will be used to conduct a qualitative evaluation at key time points to assess barriers and facilitators, implementation strategies, fidelity to implementation strategies, and perceived utility of these strategies. We will use a mixed-methods approach for data interpretation to finalize a formal implementation blueprint. Discussion This pragmatic evaluation of real-world implementation of remote symptom monitoring will generate a blueprint for future efforts to scale interventions across health systems with diverse patient populations within value-based healthcare models. Trial registration NCT04809740 ; date of registration 3/22/2021.

Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for developing subsequent human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated cancers. In this issue, Henderson and colleagues examine risk factors for subsequent malignant neoplasms associated with HPV among enrollees in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and report that improved, targeted efforts to increase HPV vaccination and HPV‐related surveillance among childhood cancer survivors are needed.

PURPOSE:Despite evidence of clinical benefits, widespread implementation of remote symptom monitoring has been limited. We describe a process of adapting a remote symptom monitoring intervention developed in a research setting to a real-world clinical setting at two cancer centers. METHODS:This formative evaluation assessed core components and adaptations to improve acceptability and fit of remote symptom monitoring using Stirman's Framework for Modifications and Adaptations. Implementation outcomes were evaluated in pilot studies at the two cancer centers testing technology (phase I) and workflow (phase II and III) using electronic health data; qualitative evaluation with semistructured interviews of clinical team members; and capture of field notes from clinical teams and administrators regarding barriers and recommended adaptations for future implementation. RESULTS:Core components of remote symptom monitoring included electronic delivery of surveys with actionable symptoms, patient education on the intervention, a system to monitor survey compliance in real time, the capacity to generate alerts, training nurses to manage alerts, and identification of personnel responsible for managing symptoms. In the pilot studies, while most patients completed > 50% of expected surveys, adaptations were identified to address barriers related to workflow challenges, patient and clinician access to technology, digital health literacy, survey fatigue, alert fatigue, and data visibility. CONCLUSION:Using an implementation science approach, we facilitated adaptation of remote symptom monitoring interventions from the research setting to clinical practice and identified key areas to promote effective uptake and sustainability.

The recent approval of several COVID-19 vaccines signals progress toward controlling the pandemic. Although social distancing and masking have been effective, vaccines are an important additional measure of protection to reduce COVID-19 spread. Adequate uptake is essential to reach herd immunity, estimated to be approximately 67%. However, vaccine hesitancy, the fast-tracked nature of the COVID-19 vaccines, and misinformation circulating through various forms of media have contributed to lower vaccination intention than desired. The current research study developed an online survey conducted via Facebook to explore the attitudes and perceptions of adult Alabama residents about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines. Of the 3,781 respondents, only 44.3% reported intent to receive a vaccine, with a large proportion reporting they were unsure (28.1%). Lack of intention to vaccinate was associated with low educational attainment, low COVID-19 knowledge levels, low income, and African American race. The current survey also explored participants' influenza vaccine behavior as this information can also be used to inform successful COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Of the respondents, 56% report receiving the yearly influenza vaccine and the majority receive it at a pharmacy or healthcare provider office. This informs likely successful locations for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Appropriate education targeted to populations most likely to refuse COVID-19 vaccination is essential to promote uptake. The information collected from the current study should be utilized to inform effective and efficient vaccine distribution strategies.