Abstract C067: Evaluation of data from a new mobile HPV vaccination program in South Carolina, U.S.
Authors: Ford Marvella E. , Cartmell Kathleen B. , Malek Angela M. , Le Nhi Phuong , Keeve Chloe , Sanders I'Ayana , Ross Jerlinda , Slan Melanie , McLauren Joan , Platt Mina , Gomez Ellen , Zserai Jessica , Poore Beth , Cody Christina , Ladd Victoria , Beattie Mary S. , Suddoth J. David , Kreps Kapri , Roberts James R. 
Published: December 2023

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are linked to at least six different types of cancer. The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) and Department of Pediatrics leaders identified less-than-optimal HPV vaccination rates in rural and medically underserved communities in South Carolina (SC) (80% in urban cities vs. 62% in rural areas). Forty-three percent of SC’s 46 counties include areas classified as rural by the U.S. Census, and 14% of the state’s population lives in rural areas. SC’s population demographics are typical of the Deep South region of the U.S. and primarily comprise non-Hispanic White (69%) and non-Hispanic Black (27%) residents, with a small but growing Hispanic/Latinx population (6.0%).  SC compares unfavorably with the U.S. averages in educational levels and per capita and median household incomes. These social determinants of health-related factors contribute to lower levels of knowledge about, and access to, the HPV vaccine.  Methods: To address the major public health issue of low HPV vaccination rates in rural SC, the MUSC HCC and Department of Pediatrics created a statewide community engagement-focused HPV Vaccination Van Program with funding from the HealthyMe/HealthySC (HMHSC) program and MUSC HCC. The Program launched in October of 2021. It  provides HPV and other childhood vaccinations in school districts, HMHSC health clinics, and other community settings throughout SC, focusing on children aged 9–18 years who are eligible for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccines for Children Program. The prioritization of the selection of counties for inclusion in the Program is based on geospatial analyses highlighting the current HPV vaccination rates in each county. Results: As of 5 June 2023, the Program has administered childhood vaccinations to 734 participants in 28/46 counties (60%) of SC. Three-hundred and forty-six of the participants received HPV vaccinations. They were predominantly female (56.4%), aged 4–18 years (97.1%), and self-identified as non-Hispanic White (46.0%), non-Hispanic Black (31.9%), Hispanic/Latino (14.9%), Asian American (1.2%), Multiracial (3.3%), or Other (2.4%), with 0.3% of the participants not reporting their racial/ethnic identification. Slightly more than half of the participants (52.9%) had Medicaid insurance  and 25.1% reported having no insurance coverage. Conclusions: The number of children receiving the HPV vaccine through the Program, and the number of counties served, is expected to expand as the Program’s relationship with SC’s school districts and other community-based organizations grows. The Program provides a model for delivering mobile HPV vaccinations to rural children, thus reducing their cancer risk.

Citation Format: Marvella E. Ford, Kathleen B. Cartmell, Angela M. Malek, Nhi Phuong Le, Chloe Keeve, I'Ayana Sanders, Jerlinda Ross, Melanie Slan, Joan McLauren, Mina Platt, Ellen Gomez, Jessica Zserai, Beth Poore, Christina Cody, Victoria Ladd, Mary S. Beattie, J. David Suddoth, Kapri Kreps, James R. Roberts. Evaluation of data from a new mobile HPV vaccination program in South Carolina, U.S. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C067.