More than 13,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer each year. The good news is the disease is preventable with vaccination and appropriate screening.
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. We encourage you to talk to your patients about Pap tests, HPV tests, and related vaccines.
The CDC recommends all boys and girls get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12 as the vaccine produces a stronger immune response when taken during the preteen years. For this reason, up until age 14, only two doses are the vaccine are required. Be sure to have the HPV vaccine series completed by age 13 to ensure gap closures for HEDIS. Proactive scheduling and call campaigns are often most effective for this measure.
