Patient-physician interaction and its association with the discussion of HPV vaccine

Background: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in women in the United States. A quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine has been approved for ages 11 through 26; however, the vaccination rate remains low. Physician recommendation and discussion about the vaccine has the ability to influence the likelihood of vaccination. This study seeks to examine the association between patient-physician interaction and discussion about HPV vaccine. Method: Data was analyzed from the National Cancer Institute's 2012 Health Information National Trend Survey. The analytic sample included 1,247 Hispanic, White, and Black women age 18 and older. A logistic regression was performed to determine the odds ratio of physicians discussing HPV vaccine with their female patients. Results: Women who felt they could usually rely on their physician to take care of their health needs (OR=.55) were less likely to have had their physician discuss HPV vaccine than who felt they could always rely on their physician to take care of their health needs. Women who did not have a pap smear test (OR= .44) were less likely to have their physician discuss HPV vaccine compared to those who had a pap smear. Conclusion: Women who had lower reliance of their physician were less likely to have a discussion with their provider about the HPV vaccine. Additionally, women who had a pap smear were more likely to have a discussion concerning the HPV vaccine with their provider. Future studies should attempt to better understand the relationship between reliance on provider and HPV vaccine as well as processes to improve pap smear rate in younger women.