Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Access Control
Open Access
Embargo Period
4-28-2016
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Post Master's DNP Completion
Year Degree Awarded
2016
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
HPV, Text messaging, QI, vaccine, human papillomavirus
Advisor
Emma Dundon
DNP Project Chair
Emma Dundon
DNP Project Member Name
Karen Kalmakis
DNP Project Outside Member Name
Leticia Cantu
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and is the cause of most cervical cancers in women, as well as anogenital cancers, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts in both men and women (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2014b). The HPV vaccine is recommended for preteen girls and boys to protect against HPV infections (CDC, 2011). In line with the goal of Healthy People 2020, the purpose of this evidence-based quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a text message reminder system, and calculate the completion rate of the 3-dose HPV vaccination series among adolescents in a pediatric clinic in a small city in Texas. The results were compared to the vaccination rates from a previously used reminder system. The project was of a single-group. pre-test–post-test design. Participants were adolescents aged 9–18 years who had begun, or were set to begin, the 3-dose HPV vaccine series during the project implementation period (October 2015–April 2016). Data from a random review of 100 charts of adolescents reminded using the prior system (prior to implementation) for the same vaccine appointments were used for comparison with the new reminder system data. Enrollees received up to 3 text message reminders for each appointment. They were surveyed to evaluate their preference of a reminder system. Using data from the prior system (n = 100), 11% of adolescents completed the three-dose HPV vaccine series compared to 46.9% from the text messaging system group (n = 49). Both groups showed a better completion rate among females. Based on surveys, 24 (80%) were in favor of text message reminders. This project shows that text message reminders offer an effective method of sending appointment reminders to increase the initiation and completion rates of the HPV vaccine series.
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