Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Uptake in the Rio Grande Valley: Results from a Pilot Community-Based Educational and School-Based Vaccination Program and Its Expansion

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a safe and effective strategy for reducing HPV morbidity and mortality. Schools have become an increasingly attractive setting for delivering vaccinations and supporting vaccination health literacy and decisional support. This study assesses the effectiveness of a community-based, physician-led HPV education campaign (starting in 2016) and onsite middle school-based HPV vaccination program across six school districts (2017, 2019, 2020) in a rural, medically underserved Texas area (Rio Grande Valley). Pre- and post-intervention HPV vaccination rates were tracked against the 2016 National Immunization Survey—Teen target rates (initiation: 49.3%; completion: 32.9%). Summary statistics were stratified by gender, school district, and grade level. The study reached 19,951 students who received HPV vaccines directly or indirectly through our program (10,289 females; 9662 males) (August 2016–August 2022). Of those, 2145 students (1074 females; 1071 males) were vaccinated directly through our program. The overall HPV up-to-date (UTD) rates were 58.8%. The overall median age at HPV vaccine initiation and HPV-UTD (range) was 11 years (9–21) and 12 years (9–20). The overall median interval between HPV vaccine doses (range) was 291 days (146–2968). Recommending HPV vaccine initiation at younger ages increases HPV vaccine completion and providing access to HPV vaccines encourages on-time vaccination and completion.</jats:p

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Uptake in the Rio Grande Valley: Results from a Pilot Community-Based Educational and School-Based Vaccination Program and Its Expansion

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a safe and effective strategy for reducing HPV morbidity and mortality. Schools have become an increasingly attractive setting for delivering vaccinations and supporting vaccination health literacy and decisional support. This study assesses the effectiveness of a community-based, physician-led HPV education campaign (starting in 2016) and onsite middle school-based HPV vaccination program across six school districts (2017, 2019, 2020) in a rural, medically underserved Texas area (Rio Grande Valley). Pre- and post-intervention HPV vaccination rates were tracked against the 2016 National Immunization Survey—Teen target rates (initiation: 49.3%; completion: 32.9%). Summary statistics were stratified by gender, school district, and grade level. The study reached 19,951 students who received HPV vaccines directly or indirectly through our program (10,289 females; 9662 males) (August 2016–August 2022). Of those, 2145 students (1074 females; 1071 males) were vaccinated directly through our program. The overall HPV up-to-date (UTD) rates were 58.8%. The overall median age at HPV vaccine initiation and HPV-UTD (range) was 11 years (9–21) and 12 years (9–20). The overall median interval between HPV vaccine doses (range) was 291 days (146–2968). Recommending HPV vaccine initiation at younger ages increases HPV vaccine completion and providing access to HPV vaccines encourages on-time vaccination and completion

Human papillomavirus vaccinations at recommended ages: How a middle school-based educational and vaccination program increased uptake in the Rio Grande Valley

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is recommended for U.S. adolescents at ages 11–12 requiring two or three doses depending on if the vaccine series started before age 15. The objective was to compare HPV vaccination rates among medically underserved, economically disadvantaged, students in rural middle school districts (Rio Grande Valley [RGV], Texas) by age of initiation (≤ age 11 years vs. age 12 years and older). This quasi-experimental study included 1,766 students (884 females; 882 males) who received at least one HPV vaccine dose through our school-based vaccination program between 08/2016-06/2022. Summary statistics were stratified by age at initiation and gender. The overall HPV up-to-date (UTD) rate was 59.7% (95% Confidence Interval: 57.4–62.0%). The median age at HPV UTD (range) was 12 years (9–19) and median interval between HPV vaccine doses (range) was 316 days (150–2,855). Most students received the HPV vaccine bundled with other vaccinations (72.4%, 1,279/1,766). There was a higher HPV UTD rate among students who initiated the HPV vaccine on or before age 11 than those who initiated on or after age 12 (73.6% versus 45.1%, respectively). The median age of HPV UTD was age 12 for those initiating on or before 11 years versus age 13 for those initiating on or after 12 years of age. Initiating the HPV vaccine at age ≤11 years increased completion of the HPV vaccine series. Improving HPV vaccine coverage and introduction of pan-gender vaccination programs will significantly decrease HPV-related diseases in the RGV

Human papillomavirus awareness among foreign- and US-born Hispanics, United States, 2017–2018

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine knowledge and awareness are known to be lower among Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites. However, Hispanics in the US are a non-homogenous population, with significant differences by nativity, particularly between the US-and foreign-born individuals. We examined HPV and HPV vaccine awareness among foreign-born Hispanics, US-born Hispanics, and US-born non-Hispanic whites. Methods: We analyzed data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5, cycles 1 (2017) and 2 (2018), the most recent HINTS datasets including nativity information. We used descriptive statistics and multivariable regression to compare awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine among ethnicity/nativity subgroups. Results: Over 50% of foreign-born Hispanics had not heard of HPV, compared to 32% of US-born Hispanics (P < 0.01) and 33% of non-Hispanic whites (p < 0.01). Lack of HPV vaccine awareness among foreign-born Hispanics was not significantly different from US-born Hispanics (52% vs. 44%, p = 0.12), but was significantly lower compared to non-Hispanic whites (52% vs. 32%, p < 0.01). In multivariable analyses, non-Hispanic whites had over twice the odds of having heard of HPV than foreign-born Hispanics (p < 0.05), while US-born Hispanics had 75% higher odds (p < 0.05). Regarding HPV awareness, non-Hispanic whites had 95% higher odds of having heard of the HPV vaccine than foreign-born Hispanics (p < 0.05), while differences between US and foreign-born Hispanics were not significant. Conclusion: There are significant nativity-related differences in HPV and HPV vaccine awareness and knowledge among US-born Hispanics. Over 50% of foreign-born Hispanic adults are unaware of HPV and the HPV vaccine

Vineyard row orientation of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz/101-14 Mgt: climatic profiles and vine physiological status

Establishment of vineyards is often forced towards geo-morphologically complex terroir where aspect, slope, relief and erosion are determining factors in orientation of rows. In this novel study, changes in primarily microclimate profiles and vine physiological behaviour with different row orientations were studied on a flat terrain in a semi-arid environment with the purpose of aiding vineyard management decisions and practices for production of grapes and wine. Effects of grapevine row orientation (NS, EW, NE-SW, NW-SE) of vertically trellised and shoot positioned Vitis vinifera L. Shiraz/101-14 Mgt on vineyard meso- and microclimate as well as vine physiological status, within the context of regional macroclimate, were investigated under field conditions over many seasons. Novel wind velocity and direction profiles in vineyard rows showed velocity in work rows paralleling ambient prevailing wind and direction flow patterns being affected by canopy development and row orientation; NW-SE and EW orientated rows maintained higher wind velocity in work rows than NS and NE-SW rows. Mesoclimatic photosynthetic active radiation was in line with macroclimate radiation. Microclimatically, EW orientated rows maintained lowest interior canopy light interception, NS orientation displayed highest values, peaking in morning and afternoon, whereas NE-SW and NW-SE orientations peaked primarily in afternoon and morning, respectively. The EW orientated rows captured largest portion of total radiation in the bunch zone from soil reflected radiation. Canopy interior temperature differences were likely masked by air temperature. Basal leaf water potential was relatively unaffected by row side; results point to internal regulation of whole plant water status. Leaf temperature showed minor differences. Relative humidity followed opposite trends to those of air- and leaf temperature. Leaves of EW orientated vines had highest average photosynthesis, corresponding to stomatal conductance and transpiration. Most uniform canopy photosynthesis occurred for NS and NW-SE orientations. Photosynthesis trends practically demonstrated mirror diurnal images for canopy sides of each orientation. Row orientation significantly affected meso- and microclimate, radiation in particular directly affecting energy/heat balances and concomitant canopy physiological processes. The study provided new insights into: vine physiological response to row orientation, the role of row orientation as viticulture practice; decision-making for establishment; and management of existing vineyards, irrespective of terroir soil and climatic conditions and product objectives. Results are globally relevant, especially within the context of climate change, and provide first comprehensive climatic/grapevine physiological evidence on the impact of grapevine row orientation as viticulture practic