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HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptability in Appalachian Tennessee and Kentucky, USA
  1. Sarah M Tiggelaar, *MD
  1. Family Medicine Resident Physician, Family Medicine Residency Program, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA and School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; sarah.tiggelaar@fmed.isu.edu
  1. Matthew Rafalski, MD
  1. Family Medicine Staff Physician, Dayspring Family Health Center, Jellico, TN, USA; mrafalski@dayspringfhc.com
  1. Mario A Davidson, PhD
  1. Statistician, Department of Statistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; mario.davidson@vanderbilt.edu
  1. Yan Hu, MS
  1. Statistician, Department of Statistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; huxxx320@gmail.com
  1. Lonnie Burnett, †MD
  1. Obstetrics and Gynecology Physician Emeritus, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA

https://doi.org/10.1136/jfprhc-2013-100697

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    The Central and South-Central sub-regions of rural Appalachia have the highest cervical cancer rates in the USA.1 Low socioeconomic status, limited access to health care, geographic isolation, and fatalistic attitudes contribute to this disparity.2 Since 99% of cervical cancers are caused by oncogenic strains of human papillomavirus (HPV),3 the two Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HPV vaccines4 have huge potential benefits for this region. However, information is limited about the acceptance and barriers to HPV vaccine uptake among rural Appalachian residents.5 We wish to inform Journal readers of the results of an HPV knowledge and acceptability survey conducted in rural Appalachia that has implications for future HPV vaccination and cervical prevention strategies.

    A questionnaire assessed HPV knowledge and vaccine acceptability from May to July 2008 at three family medicine clinics in eastern Tennessee and …

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    Footnotes

    • *Dr Burnett passed away between the completion of the study and its publication. He is included as an author posthumously due to his role as mentor for this project and involvement with early drafts of the manuscript.

    • *Corresponding author.

    •   †Dr Burnett passed away between the completion of the study and its publication. He is included as an author posthumously due to his role as mentor for this project and involvement with early drafts of the manuscript.

    • Competing interests None.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.