A Pilot Test of a Workshop for Pediatric Clinicians About Communicating with Parents About the HPV Vaccine Using the C-LEAR Approach

Low HPV vaccinations rates lead to missed opportunities to prevent cancer. Specifically, some parents (12–76%) report never receiving a recommendation for their child to receive the vaccine. Current models for talking about HPV vaccination fall short in that they focus primarily on how to introduce the vaccine with limited guidance on how to follow through with the conversation, particularly with those parents who may be hesitant. We developed the C-LEAR approach, an easy to remember, evidence-informed mnemonic to guide clinicians through the process of introducing and discussing the HPV vaccine with parents. We pilot tested this approach with a total of 20 pediatric clinicians ( n = 13 residents; n = 7 attendings) in 60-min Zoom workshops that included a short didactic session, a demonstration of skills, and a small group, facilitator-led role play session. On an immediate post-training survey, all participants stated that the training was helpful and easy to understand. Ninety-four percent responded that they would implement what they had learned in their clinic. Participants reported appreciation for the small group sessions. While not specifically asked or required to incorporate the material into their practice, 1 year following the training, 8/9 (88%) participants reported using the C-LEAR approach in their clinics “most” or “all of the time.” We are further testing this model through teaching our workshop in a large, randomized trial across the state of Florida.