OSWEGO COUNTY – The emergence of the COVID-19 virus in 2020 had profound impacts on adolescent vaccination as well as overall decrease in wellness/preventative visits including routine oral care visits.
While we are starting to see in 2021 an increase of these visits being recovered, the cancer prevention vaccine – the human papillomavirus (HPV) has not. Prevention of HPV related-cancers remains a public health priority.
The Community Cancer Prevention in Action Program of Oswego County is here to share with dental providers and their practices how you play a crucial role in helping to assist in increasing this public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent data showed a 71% drop in healthcare visits for 7-17 year olds, ages when critical vaccines are given.
We ask you to discuss cancer prevention practices with your patients daily. First, we encourage you to give your age- eligible patients a high-quality recommendation for the cancer prevention vaccine, HPV. Data reflects, patients are more influenced by a high- quality recommendation and are more likely to follow through with their primary provider in obtaining the HPV vaccine. This action is key to cancer prevention and will help combat the growing rates of HPV oropharyngeal cancers.
Second, we urge you to routinely screen your patients for oropharyngeal cancers. Research states the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) has surpassed cervical cancer as the most prevalent HPV cancer. HPV causes 70% of the OPCs in the United States, affecting about 11,600 people each year.
The burden of HPV related cancers is increasing, and we ask you to help us take action against oropharyngeal cancer by adopting these five action steps into your practice, know your unique role in HPV cancer prevention, practice cancer prevention by educating age- eligible patients/parents of the link between HPV and oral cancer by encouraging this cancer prevention vaccine, refer patients for the HPV vaccination through their primary provider, collaborate with pediatricians/primary care providers to ensure continuum of care and last engage your team to promote cancer prevention confidently and professionally.
CPiA will continue to do this work throughout the pandemic because cancer will not wait for the pandemic to end. To learn more about CPiA, which is supported with funds from the State of New York, contact us at www.takeactionagainstcancer.com
We invite you to continue the conversation on how your practice can help take action against cancer, free resources we can supply to patients, and HPV vaccine materials to include in your waiting room and patient rooms. We are in this together and here to help.
*Press release from Oswego County Opportunities
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