The New Jersey HPV Vaccination Action Team (NJ HPV VAT) is a subgroup of the NJ State Cancer Coalition, which was launched in October of 2023 to help advance the HPV-related objectives and recommended strategies of the NJ Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan 2021-2025 (See Appendix V). The Mission of NJ HPV VAT is to increase HPV vaccination rates to prevent HPV-related disease and cancers through education, coordination, leadership, and advocacy. The purpose of the NJ HPV Vaccination Plan is to provide a collaborative road map for increasing HPV vaccine uptake across the state to help reduce HPV-related disease and cancers. NJ HPV VAT will build on, amplify, and accelerate existing work. An estimated 85% of people will be infected with HPV in their lifetime putting people at risk for 6 different HPV-associated cancers including cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. These cancers are largely preventable through HPV vaccination. The HPV vaccine is most effective when administered by age 13. NJ has a statewide completion rate for youth aged 13 of only 27%, which is ranked third lowest in the country behind Florida and Wyoming (NIS-Teen), leaving most teens at risk for future preventable cancers. Because the NJ Immunization Information System (NJIIS) only requires providers to enter immunizations into the system for patients up to age 7, stratified and local data are lacking for HPV vaccination in the state. There is also an inability for providers to check IIS records to monitor the HPV vaccination status of most pre/adolescents who change providers or move from other locations in the state. There are several evidence-based and promising interventions to increase HPV vaccination that have been summarized herein. Over the next two years, NJ HPV VAT will endeavor to partner with stakeholders across NJ to promote those interventions through the following priority strategies (see Appendix III).
1. Promote starting the HPV vaccine at age 9 to increase on-time completion rates. 2. Develop and disseminate a NJ Start at 9 HPV Vaccination Toolkit for providers. 3. Implement at least two provider-focused activities and two public-focused strategies to raise awareness about the HPV problem and what can be done to address it. 4. Partner with at least one health plan to help them educate their members and providers about HPV. 5. Facilitate a change in policy or system improvement to address outstanding statewide barriers identified by pediatric healthcare providers including enhancing the state immunization registry to collect all adolescent vaccination data up through 18 years of age.
NJ HPV VAT will also work to disseminate the following key messages to parents. • HPV vaccination is cancer prevention. • The HPV vaccine is safe and effective. • Start the HPV vaccine series at age 9.
Priority messaging for teens and young adults are: • HPV vaccination prevents cancer and genital warts. • The HPV vaccine is safe and effective. • The sooner the better to receive the HPV vaccine.
An additional message for providers:
NJ has fallen behind and needs to do more to protect kids from HPV cancers.
Data will be collected for all activities conducted to ascertain the achievement of each objective as well as process measures to track whether the interventions were implemented as intended. Results will be reported back at regular NJ HPV VAT meetings. At the end of two years, we will assess any changes in statewide HPV vaccination rates among 13 to 17 years olds using NIS-Teen and 13-year-olds if possible.
NJ HPV Vaccination Action Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The New Jersey HPV Vaccination Action Team (NJ HPV VAT) is a subgroup of the NJ State Cancer Coalition, which was launched in October of 2023 to help advance the HPV-related objectives and recommended strategies of the NJ Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan 2021-2025 (See Appendix V). The Mission of NJ HPV VAT is to increase HPV vaccination rates to prevent HPV-related disease and cancers through education, coordination, leadership, and advocacy.
The purpose of the NJ HPV Vaccination Plan is to provide a collaborative road map for increasing HPV vaccine uptake across the state to help reduce HPV-related disease and cancers. NJ HPV VAT will build on, amplify, and accelerate existing work.
An estimated 85% of people will be infected with HPV in their lifetime putting people at risk for 6 different HPV-associated cancers including cervical and oropharyngeal cancers. These cancers are largely preventable through HPV vaccination. The HPV vaccine is most effective when administered by age 13. NJ has a statewide completion rate for youth aged 13 of only 27%, which is ranked third lowest in the country behind Florida and Wyoming (NIS-Teen), leaving most teens at risk for future preventable cancers.
Because the NJ Immunization Information System (NJIIS) only requires providers to enter immunizations into the system for patients up to age 7, stratified and local data are lacking for HPV vaccination in the state. There is also an inability for providers to check IIS records to monitor the HPV vaccination status of most pre/adolescents who change providers or move from other locations in the state.
There are several evidence-based and promising interventions to increase HPV vaccination that have been summarized herein. Over the next two years, NJ HPV VAT will endeavor to partner with stakeholders across NJ to promote those interventions through the following priority strategies (see Appendix III).
1. Promote starting the HPV vaccine at age 9 to increase on-time completion rates.
2. Develop and disseminate a NJ Start at 9 HPV Vaccination Toolkit for providers.
3. Implement at least two provider-focused activities and two public-focused strategies to raise awareness about the HPV problem and what can be done to address it.
4. Partner with at least one health plan to help them educate their members and providers about HPV.
5. Facilitate a change in policy or system improvement to address outstanding statewide barriers identified by pediatric healthcare providers including enhancing the state immunization registry to collect all adolescent vaccination data up through 18 years of age.
NJ HPV VAT will also work to disseminate the following key messages to parents.
• HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.
• The HPV vaccine is safe and effective.
• Start the HPV vaccine series at age 9.
Priority messaging for teens and young adults are:
• HPV vaccination prevents cancer and genital warts.
• The HPV vaccine is safe and effective.
• The sooner the better to receive the HPV vaccine.
An additional message for providers:
Data will be collected for all activities conducted to ascertain the achievement of each objective as well as process measures to track whether the interventions were implemented as intended. Results will be reported back at regular NJ HPV VAT meetings. At the end of two years, we will assess any changes in statewide HPV vaccination rates among 13 to 17 years olds using NIS-Teen and 13-year-olds if possible.