The purpose of this pilot study is to determine if postpartum women serve as a potential population to target in order to increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Central Pennsylvania.~Despite being available for almost a decade, uptake of the HPV vaccine in the US remains below other countries, including England, Scotland, and Australia. In fact, in 2017, only 67% of US girls aged 13-17 had obtained even one dose of the HPV vaccine series. Due to low rates of HPV vaccination in the United States and Central Pennsylvania, effective interventions are needed to help increase these rates.~While vaccination is recommended at a younger age, it is effective among women 18-25 years old. Based on clinical trial data, giving the vaccine to this age group has resulted in reduced abnormal Pap test findings, referral for colposcopy, and treatment related to abnormal cervical cytology. However, the HPV vaccine is not usually discussed during prenatal care or routinely administered during pregnancy. Previous studies have shown that offering other vaccines postpartum (e.g. tetanus or pertussis) has been successful.~By offering the vaccine to this demographic group, the investigators could potentially discover an untapped target population to help increase rates of HPV vaccination.
The purpose of this study is to determine the acceptability of HPV vaccination in postpartum women in Central Pennsylvania. Participants will be recruited while inpatient in the postpartum unit. Participants will complete a survey asking about knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs around vaccination, including HPV vaccination, as well as breastfeeding intentions. After survey completion, the participant will have the option to receive the HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, prior to discharge from the hospital. All participants will then be contacted 1- week later for the follow-up survey.