Acceptability and readiness to promote human papillomavirus vaccination at ages 9–10 years: a feasibility study among North Carolina clinics

While 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in adolescents as young as age 9, providers typically recommend it at ages 11–12. Studies suggest that recommending HPV vaccination at 9 or 10 years of age could increase up-to-date vaccination by age 13, which could especially benefit rural populations with reduced access to primary health care and lower HPV vaccination coverage than urban areas. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of the age-9 recommendation of HPV vaccination in rural clinics. We conducted in-depth interviews with providers and staff from two primary care clinics in central North Carolina to understand attitudes toward recommending HPV vaccination to 9- and 10-year-olds. All interviewees agreed that HPV vaccination was important for cancer prevention and should be recommended before the onset of sexual activity, agreeing that HPV vaccination could be initiated before age 11 to improve timeliness and completion of the vaccination series. However, opinions were mixed on whether HPV vaccination should be initiated as young as 9 years old. Two key informants recruited from two university-affiliated clinics described their experiences recommending HPV vaccination to 9- and 10-year-olds, including a modified vaccination schedule that promotes HPV vaccination during routine well-child visits, prior to pubertal onset, and alongside other recommended adolescent vaccines. Age-9 recommendation and administration of HPV vaccination is possible with minimal changes to current clinical practices and could increase the convenience and acceptability of HPV vaccination in under-vaccinated settings.