NATIONAL SURVEY OF PEDIATRICIANS' WILLINGNESS TO OFFER HUMAN PAPILLOMA (HPV) VACCINE TO ADOLESCENTS   David Wood, Karen O'Connor, Allison Kempe, Denia Varrasso, Maureen Kolasa, Olivia Thomas, Abigail Shefer.. Pediatrics, University of Florida, Jacksonville, FL; American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL; Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver, CO; Pediatrics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA.  Presented at the 2007 Pediatric Academic Societies' Annual Meeting.

Background: A new Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for adolescents was recently approved by the ACIP (6/2006) and an endorsement by the AAP is anticipated. Little is know about pediatricians' willingness to offer the HPV vaccine.

Objective: Assess Pediatricians' willingness to offer the HPV vaccine to adolescents.

Design/Methods: National random sample, mailed Periodic Survey of American Academy of Pediatrics U.S. members, 2006 (N=1620, response=49%). Analysis was limited to 585 pediatricians who offer immunizations in their practice. Questions assessed pediatricians' attitudes toward offering HPV vaccine to male and female patients in the following age categories; 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18 years of age. Bivariate and multivariate analysis assessed associations between pediatricians' demographic and practice characteristics and their willingness to offer the vaccine to 10-12 year old female patients (the current ACIP recommendation).

Results: Overall pediatricians were more likely to offer the HPV vaccine to females and males 16-18 year olds versus younger children. Eighty-one percent of pediatricians were likely to offer HPV vaccine to female children 10-12 years of age. In bivariate analyses pediatricians were more likely to offer HPV to females 10-12 years old if their patient population was >50% white (83% vs. 76% of pediatricians with <50% white patients, p<.05), are themselves white (83% vs. 75% of non-white, p<.05), and were in group practices (85% vs.76% of solo/2-physician, 75% of hospital/clinic-based, p<.05). Those likely to offer the HPV vaccine (vs. not likely) rated the following barriers as less problematic: parent concerns over safety (mean scores 2.4 vs. 2.7, p<.001), parent refusal for female (2.5 vs. 3.0, p<.001) or male patients (2.7 vs. 3.1, p<.001)) and the 3 dose series (2.6 vs. 3.0, p=>001). Both groups say lack of adequate reimbursement for the vaccine is a barrier (mean scores of 3.0, 3.1).

Conclusions: Pediatricians are more inclined to offer the vaccine to older adolescents and they anticipate a number of barriers to its full adoption.