School-based Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Program
Activities
Intervention events introduction
Our school interventions consist of contacting the administrators of each middle school, either the principal or the assistant principal, to let them know about our program. Once we get to meet the principals and assistant principals, we contact the nurse of that middle school and let her know that we need to start implementing vaccination events. We try to tag along with any events that happen after school, such as basketball games, meet the teacher night, band concerts, and anything that the campus is open after hours. We do this to attempt a better response from parents. When we are involved in these events, we take into consideration that some parents work and unfortunately cannot attend the after-school events. Therefore, we implement morning events. In these events, we obtain verbal consent. We call the parents and let them know that their child is due for the completion dose of the HPV vaccine. If the parent gives us the authorization, we proceed to vaccinate the student at the nurse’s office. In addition to school interventions, we also participate in health fairs and many community events where we can spread the message of our program. We have our coordinators pass our educational material to parents at each event. It is our main goal to increase awareness, prevention, and increase the rate of HPV vaccine in our students.
Prevention and education events introduction
Knowledge is important in the adoption of health behaviors and is a prerequisite for making and recommending decisions about vaccination and vaccine policies. Our team continues to educate and strongly encourage HPV vaccination among stakeholders. We increased HPV/HPV vaccine education and awareness among our stakeholders by delivering tailored HPV education and awareness presentations and materials to parents, school boards/staff (teachers, nurses, and school district employees), and local healthcare providers (e.g., primary care practices, pediatricians, and advanced practice providers). We promoted our CPRIT-funded projects using active (stakeholder/PTA/school board meetings, social media, radio, newspaper) and passive (abstracts/manuscripts, conference presentations) dissemination methods. Project staff encourages school administration buy-in by interacting with parents and community leaders, visiting health centers, and increasing awareness through proven communication channels. We collaborated with community and public health organizations to promote the school-based HPV vaccination program; increase knowledge and awareness about HPV and the vaccine, and expand outreach. With CPRIT, UTMB IRB, RGCCISD, and PSJA ISD approval, we have placed new CDC HPV vaccine posters at strategic vantage points on each RGCCISD, PSJA ISD, Jim Hogg, and Zapata Counties campus.
Testimonies
from students, parents, health professions, and/or school districts
Ginna Perez (Parent from Audie Murphy Middle School) As a parent from PSJAISD, I’m extremely happy about the collaboration with UTMB, MD Anderson, and Baylor College of Medicine. This program has done so much for this community
and the school district. I was invited to attend a meeting at the Parental Engagement center. Nurses and administrators were invited to this meeting. During this meeting, I was able to understand the reason for this meeting, the presentation regarding
the School-Based Vaccination Program, and all the benefits that will come from this amazing project. I have two children (one girl and one boy) in Audie Murphy. The girl is a 6th grader and my boy is an 8th grader. After this
meeting, I realized how important it was to vaccinate my children. I was able to talk to the Research Program Manager Iris Tijerina, and she was able to give me upcoming dates for vaccination days. I now realized how important the HPV vaccine is.
The educational material provided is very informative. In our community, there is a lack of knowledge regarding this vaccine, but from what I have heard and seen, the educational campaign of this program is amazing. The educational campaign of the
School-Based Vaccination Program is remarkable.
George Ramirez (Parent from LBJ Middle School) I’m a single father and the head of the household, and sometimes it can be hard to ask for days off at work so I can take my children to the doctor’s office to get vaccinated.
I come from a hard-working family. When I heard about the HPV school program, I was confused because of so many bad speculations about the HPV vaccine. I have heard about the HPV vaccine, but I never made the decision to vaccinate my children. I was
invited to attend a meeting at the library of LBJ middle school before the school started, where they were going to give a small presentation and discuss the School-Based Vaccination Program. The real reason I attended this meeting was that my daughter
was due for her mandatory vaccines and they were offering them for free plus the HPV vaccine. After listening to all the information presented in this meeting, I made the decision to vaccinate my daughter with the HPV vaccine. This program is an amazing
program because not only the vaccines are free, but it also provides education, prevention, and awareness to the local community members and professionals from the community.