Coming Next Month

1.   An overview of the annual
     NIS-Teen data along with
       links to CDC's press
       release, talking points,
       and the MMWR.

2.   CDC's updated Tips and        Time-savers for talking
     to parents about
       HPV vaccine.

3.   Register for September’s
       #PreTeenVaxScene
       Webinar that will highlight
       resources that can help
      AFIX programs become
       more responsive to
      increasing HPV
       vaccination.

July 2016 I What's New

National Immunization Awareness Month

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is around the corner, and we’re looking forward to closing out the month by highlighting the importance of vaccination for preteens and teens. The theme for the last week of NIAM is “Ensure a healthy future with vaccines,” and we need your help to spread the word about vaccines for preteens and teens. NIAM coincides with the time of the year that many parents are getting the vaccines recommended for their children before they go back to school. To assist you with effectively targeting your messages to parents, CDC and the National Public Health Information Coalition have collaborated on communication toolkits for parents of preteens and teens, which include sample key messages, ready-to-publish articles and news releases, social media, messages and FAQs. There is also an abbreviated toolkit for school-age children to help you get a jumpstart on back-to-school messaging and activities. In addition to the resources provided on NPHIC’s website, CDC also has a number ofmaterials that you can use to raise awareness among and educate parents of adolescents about the importance of vaccines for their children.

Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) Webinar on Adolescent Immunization July 28th

Vaccines requiring more than one dose to complete the series are far below desired coverage levels for adolescents. Join Dr. William Atkinson, IAC's associate director for immunization education, for a one-hour webinar addressing this issue on July 28 at 12:00 p.m. (ET).

Dr. Atkinson will discuss recommendations for each adolescent vaccine, provide strategies to improve coverage rates in this population, and list available resources to assist immunization providers in their efforts to improve coverage rates.

Register for the webinar here.

New Materials/Resources

The May 19th #PreteenVaxScene webinar recording is now available online! The “Research Project Update: AFIX Program Strategies for Improving HPV Vaccination Rates in the Field” webinar can be foundhere. This webinar features Dr. Melissa Gilkey of Harvard Medical School and Chrystal Averette of the Washington Department of Health. Dr. Gilkey discusses the tools and strategies that were used by the participating AFIX programs for improving HPV vaccination rates in the field. And Chrystal shares how, as part of this project, the DOH is implementing specific AFIX strategies in order to increase HPV vaccination rates.

Relevant Publications

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR ) released on July 8th included a study that examined HPV-associated cancer statistics from 2008 to 2012. The study found that an average of 38,793 HPV-associated cancers were diagnosed annually in the United States during 2008–2012. Among these cancers, CDC estimates that 30,700 (79%) can be attributed to HPV, and 28,500 of these are attributable to HPV types that are preventable with the 9-valent HPV. This report underscores the impact HPV vaccination can make on HPV cancers as well as the need for improved HPV vaccination coverage.

Link to cite: Viens LJ, Henley SJ, Watson M, et al. Human Papillomavirus–Associated Cancers — United States, 2008–2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016;65:661–666. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6526a1.

Spotlight: Dr. Basel Khatib

As a medical resident, Basel Khatib, MD was strongly influenced by the vital role vaccines play in protecting the public’s health. During his 21 year career as a practicing pediatrician in Dearborn, MI, Dr. Khatib has attained and maintained high childhood, pre-teen, and teen immunization rates. Dr. Khatib has been a champion for HPV vaccination both in his words and in his actions as his practice has achieved an HPV vaccine series completion rate of 99 percent.

Some of the key factors Dr. Khatib credits for creating a vaccine-centered medical practice include: educating staff and fostering an office environment that is passionate about vaccines, reviewing immunization status at all sick, well, and walk-in visits, and personally following up with parents who delay or decline certain vaccines. Additionally, Dr. Khatib explains that administering patients’ shots himself often helps “persuade parents to change their minds.” He finds it very rewarding when parents accept his vaccine recommendation, “just because they trust [him]!” Learn more about Dr. Khatib’s 10 Immunization Success Factors and how they can help boost your immunization rates.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us atpreteenvaccines@cdc.gov. We are always happy to help.