Rural HPV Cancer Prevention

In this quarterly communication about our efforts to improve HPV vaccination within rural communities in the United States, we highlight the following:

Upcoming virtual Rural Quarterly Updates and Opportunities Meeting on May 14, featuring a discussion with subject matter experts about the current landscape of rural HPV cancer prevention. Register here. You’ll also find a look back at past meetings and what’s ahead for 2025 Rural Quarterly Updates and Opportunities Meetings
Recap of Recent Rural HPV Vaccination Engagements, including the 2025 HPV Awareness Day rural-focused seminar, Harvesting Best Practices to Prevent Rural HPV Cancers and the 2025 National HPV Conference
Our Wide Open Spaces article series featuring this month’s article, Addressing Cervical Cancer Disparities in the Mississippi Delta through Community-Based Participatory Research
Plus, New Trainings and Resources, Recent Publications, and Upcoming Events

Tell us what you are working on related to rural HPV cancer prevention.

If you are interested in presenting as part of an upcoming quarterly updates meeting, sharing information in the quarterly communication (sent one week prior to each quarterly meeting), and/or contributing to our monthly Wide Open Spaces article series, we would love to showcase your work with rural communities to increase HPV vaccination and prevent HPV cancers. We are all learning from each other to improve protection among people living in rural communities. Read the latest Wide Open Spaces article about addressing cervical cancer disparities in the Mississippi Delta here.

Join our efforts to improve rural HPV vaccination coverage.

Visit the Preventing HPV Cancers in Rural Communities website at stjude.org/hpvrural or sign up here to receive the latest information on our rural HPV coverage efforts. Email PreventHPV@stjude.org with any questions.

Join us on May 14 from noon-1 p.m. Central Time for the next Preventing HPV Cancers with Rural Communities Updates and Opportunities meeting

We will continue our discussions about improving HPV vaccination coverage within rural communities with a deep dive into the current landscape of rural HPV vaccination and prevention with subject matter experts. The discussion will be moderated by Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH, with panelists Trisha Amboree, PhD, Natoshia Askelson, PhD, MPH, Gabriel Benavidez, PhD, Ashley Lach, MHA, CPHA, Jason Semprini, PhD, Christina Turpin, and Whitney Zahnd, PhD. We also will revisit rural HPV vaccination priority actions considering progress over the last 18 months and explore influences of current conditions. Join us for this opportunity to contribute to shaping the future of rural HPV cancer prevention. Register here. Registration information also is available on our rural webpage, at stjude.org/hpvrural.

Past and Upcoming St. Jude Preventing HPV Cancers with Rural Communities Updates and Opportunities meetings

February 2025: The February virtual meeting shared updates towards the priority action steps to improve rural HPV vaccination coverage and followed the distribution of the February rural HPV cancer prevention quarterly communication here.

Colleagues from the American Cancer Society (ACS), Ashley Lach, Program Manager, HPV Disparities, and Christina Turpin, Director, ACS National HPV Vaccination Roundtable (HPVRT) joined the meeting to discuss ACS’s rural HPV programming and strategies, including information about on-demand HPV vaccination education for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and oral health professionals, and registration for the 2025 ACS Rural HPV Vaccination Learning Community. Additional resources are accessible on their HPV Learning Community Resource Roundup and from the National HPV Roundtable. Access the recording and presentation slides.

The next quarterly updates meetings for 2025 will be:

August 20

November 20 on National Rural Health Day

All meetings are from noon-1 p.m. Central Time. Register here.

Recap of Recent Rural HPV Vaccination Engagements

HPV Awareness Day 2025 Virtual Seminar Series Highlights Rural HPV Challenges and Solutions

As part of the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program's weeklong seminar series celebrating HPV Awareness Day 2025, a seminar dedicated to HPV prevention in rural communities titled “Harvesting Best Practices to Prevent Rural HPV Cancers” was held. This seminar was moderated by Ashley Lach, MHA, American Cancer Society and speakers included Gabriel Benavidez, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Baylor University, Cam Escoffery, PhD, Professor, Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, and Jason Semprini, PhD, Assistant Professor, Des Moines University. These experts reviewed rural HPV vaccination data and discussed identified rural-urban disparities in HPV vaccination coverage and incidence rates. The session also explored effective strategies and policy recommendations to enhance HPV vaccination coverage and cancer prevention in rural communities. Watch the recording here.

National HPV Conference, April 15-17, 2025

Panel Highlights Rural HPV Priorities at National HPV Conference

At the 2025 National HPV Conference, the session “Rural Health and HPV Vaccination: Effective Strategies for Community Engagement and Success” brought together leading experts to address the persistent disparities in HPV vaccination in rural areas. Speakers emphasized the importance of tailoring interventions to local contexts and highlighted innovative practices, including school-based programs, health care provider education, and community engagement, and learning community models. The session underscored the role of cross-sector collaboration and data-driven decision-making in advancing equitable HPV vaccination access in rural communities.

Rural Engagement Meeting Sparks Dialogue at NHPVC

At the National HPV Conference, the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program team also hosted a rural-focused morning drop-in meeting on April 16. This interactive session welcomed attendees to explore tailored resources, share input on rural HPV vaccination priorities, and engage with staff and partners working to advance HPV prevention efforts within rural communities. Attendees contributed to a live wall of insights and when asked about current conditions, reflected feelings ranging from “frustrated” to “motivated”, underscoring both the challenges and our shared commitment to progress. The session fostered valuable dialogue, strengthened rural networks, and reinforced a collective belief: every community deserves access to lifesaving HPV cancer prevention.

Wide Open Spaces

Wide Open Spaces is a series of articles included in the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program’s monthly Path to Prevention newsletter. These articles address ways to improve HPV vaccination within rural communities. Articles are written by guest contributors, who share information on their efforts and success, in improving HPV vaccination with rural communities. We invite guest contributors to share information on how they are working to improve HPV vaccination in rural areas.

This month, we feature work from the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative (SRBWI), who in partnership with Human Rights Watch, recently released a report titled, No Excuse: Inadequate Cervical Prevention and Care for Black Women in the Mississippi Delta. Watch more about the project here or read our latest Wide Open Spaces article here.

Recent Wide Open Spaces articles include:

Addressing Cervical Cancer Disparities in the Mississippi Delta through Community-Based Participatory Research (May 2025)

Increasing HPV Vaccine Uptake through Community Partnerships in Rural North Carolina (April 2025)

Addressing HPV Vaccination Gaps in Rural America: A Call for Action (March 2025)

Using Data as Our Guide (February 2025)

Access all Wide Open Spaces articles at stjude.org/hpvrural.

We are looking for authors for 2025 Wide Open Spaces articles. If you are interested in contributing, please email us at PreventHPV@stjude.org.

Trainings and Resources

Announcement Approach Training Available

The Announcement Approach Training is a proven, evidence-based intervention that helps health care providers make effective, confident HPV vaccination recommendations. This training boosts HPV vaccination rates by teaching clinicians to deliver strong, presumptive messages that resonate with parents and respond to questions using research-tested messages. The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program team is available to help coordinate this impactful training for groups of health care providers. If your team is ready to improve communication and protect more patients from HPV cancers, email us at PreventHPV@stjude.org to get started.

Iowa Uses a Proven Approach to Promote Cancer Prevention: Training Health Care Providers to Promote HPV Vaccination

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has successfully increased HPV vaccination rates among adolescents by training health care providers in rural and micropolitan clinics. Utilizing the evidence-based Announcement Approach, providers were taught to confidently recommend the HPV vaccination during routine visits. The initiative included webinars attended by 46 providers across 11 clinics, leading to improved self-efficacy and behavioral intentions regarding HPV vaccinations. This model demonstrates the effectiveness of provider-focused training in enhancing HPV vaccination uptake in rural communities. Learn more at CDC Success Story—Iowa HPV Vaccination.

The Center for Rural Health Development HPV Vaccination Resources and Toolkit

Together with partners and the Center for Rural Health Development, the West Virginia Immunization Network (WIN) offers a valuable collection of HPV vaccination resources for health care providers and public health professionals. The toolkit includes easy-to-use flyers, posters promoting HPV vaccination as cancer prevention, and a short training video that models effective, low-stress ways to recommend the HPV vaccination to parents and patients. These tools are designed to support strong vaccination communication and improve vaccination rates in rural communities. Access the resources here.

CDC Resource on Boosting HPV Vaccination in Rural Communities

The CDC has released a resource highlighting persistent gaps in adolescent vaccination rates in rural areas, where youth are far less likely to complete the HPV and meningococcal vaccination series than their urban peers. The resource offers practical strategies for rural providers, including making strong vaccination recommendations and unifying clinic messaging. A particularly useful feature is a short video that models how to address parents’ HPV vaccination safety concerns—a common barrier in rural settings. This is a valuable tool for anyone committed to advancing vaccination equity and cancer prevention. Explore the CDC resource.

Still Time to Join the 2025 Rural HPV Vaccination Learning Community

There is still time to join the Rural HPV Vaccination Learning Community, a national effort supporting rural health care professionals and public health leaders in increasing HPV vaccination rates. Participants gain access to expert-led sessions, peer networking, and tailored resources—all designed to advance health equity and cancer prevention in rural communities. Continuing education credits (CEs) are available. If you’re passionate about protecting youth, reducing disparities, and building stronger vaccination systems where they’re needed most, this is the space for you! Sessions are the second Wednesday of every month (March-December). Register now to be part of this impactful initiative from our partners at the American Cancer Society. And you can catch up anytime on what you have missed here.

St. Jude Rural HPV Vaccination Resources

Website: stjude.org/hpvrural
Preventing HPV Cancers in Rural Communities fact sheet
Wide Open Spaces articles are available at stjude.org/hpvrural – read the latest article here
January 2023: St. Jude Rural HPV Vaccination Introductory Meeting recording
Preventing HPV Cancers with Rural Communities: Quarterly Updates and Opportunities:

February 2025 quarterly updates recording and newsletter
August 2024 quarterly updates recording and newsletter
November 2024 quarterly updates recording (unedited) and newsletter

Help Us Highlight Your HPV Vaccination Story

The St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program team wants to hear your and/or your child’s HPV vaccination story.

We would like to feature your HPV vaccination story in our monthly Path to Prevention newsletter during our back-to-school season of June through August. Check out the stories shared previously in the July 2024 Path to Prevention newsletter.

Who You Are: Provide your name (first names only will be used) and if you would prefer we use your actual name or identify a pseudonym. Share a few details about you and your child(ren).
Tell us your HPV vaccination story: In 250 words or less, tell us about why you chose HPV vaccination for yourself and/or your child(ren). Include the age of those vaccinated since we want to emphasize the importance of on-time HPV vaccination by the 13th birthday and also show how HPV vaccination can be beneficial across the lifespan. Make sure to include why it was important for HPV cancer prevention.
What would you like for other parents, caregivers, and those making vaccination decisions to know: In 250 words or less, share what you would like for other people, especially parents, caregivers, and vaccination decision makers, to know about HPV vaccination.
Share a photo: Provide a photo of you and/or you and your child(ren), which could be any photo or even share a photo from when you or your child were vaccinated.

Recent Publications

Cervical Cancer in Rural America: The Roots of the Problem and Seeds of Hope

A recent Cervivor blog post, “Cervical Cancer in Rural America: The Roots of the Problem and Seeds of Hope,” highlights the unique challenges rural communities face in preventing cervical cancer. The article shares stories like that of Julianna Ferrone from Auburn, Alabama, who experienced delays in diagnosis and treatment due to limited local health care options. It emphasizes how factors such as geographic isolation, provider shortages, stigma, and medical buas contribute to higher cervical cancer death rates in rural areas. The piece underscores the urgent need for targeted outreach, increased HPV vaccination, and improved access to screenings to address these disparities. Read the full article here: Cervical Cancer in Rural America.

Rural Data Priority: Study Highlights Rural-Urban Disparities in Cervical Cancer Rates

A recent study by Amboree, et. al published in JAMA Network Open revealed significant disparities in cervical cancer incidence and mortality between rural and urban counties in the United States. The new research from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center indicates that rural areas experience higher rates of cervical cancer and related deaths compared to urban regions, underscoring the need for targeted prevention efforts. Read more about the call to action for cervical cancer prevention in rural America.

New Study Explores HPV Vaccination in Rural South Carolina Pharmacies

A recent study published in Implementation Science Communications investigates the barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccination in rural South Carolina community pharmacies. Through qualitative interviews with pharmacists, the research identifies key challenges such as design quality, cost, and resource availability, as well as facilitators like patient needs and community engagement. The findings aim to inform strategies that enhance pharmacy-based HPV vaccination services, ultimately improving access in rural communities. Read the full study at Barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccination in rural South Carolina pharmacies: a qualitative investigation.

University of Iowa and American Cancer Society Partner to Research Rural HPV Vaccination Efforts

The University of Iowa and the American Cancer Society (ACS) evaluated a rural-focused quality improvement initiative aimed at increasing HPV vaccination rates. The ACS HPV Vaccinating Adolescents Against Cancers Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative was implemented in six clinics across two rural health systems. The study assessed how well this model helped clinics implement evidence-based interventions (EBIs) to boost adolescent HPV vaccination uptake. Despite common rural challenges like limited staff capacity, clinics reported meaningful progress—offering a promising model for rural HPV cancer prevention. Read the full study here.

Study Highlights Rural-Urban HPV Vaccination Disparities in Southern U.S.

A recent study published in the Journal of Rural Health reveals significant disparities in HPV vaccination rates between rural and urban adolescents across 13 southern U.S. states. The study found that rural adolescents were 7.7 percentage points less likely to initiate and 14.9 percentage points less likely to complete the HPV vaccination series compared to their urban counterparts. Factors contributing to these gaps include caregiver concerns about vaccination safety, limited access to pediatric care, and delayed vaccination initiation. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve HPV vaccination uptake and coverage in rural communities across the southern United States. Read the full study here.

Study Highlights Gaps in Perceived HPV Risk and Vaccination Awareness in Rural Louisiana

New research published in the Journal of Community Health reveals critical gaps in HPV awareness and vaccination among women in rural and underserved areas of Louisiana. Only 10% of participants perceived themselves at risk for HPV, and nearly 40% were unaware an HPV vaccination existed. Higher income and greater HPV knowledge were linked to better awareness. The findings highlight an urgent need for targeted education, improved health care access, and stronger community engagement to advance rural HPV cancer prevention. Read the full study here.

Upcoming Events

2025 National Rural Health Association Annual Conference, May 20-23, Atlanta, Georgia

Join the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and hundreds of rural health leaders from across the country in Atlanta to raise the standard for rural health with over 80 innovative, practical, cost-saving sessions and much more! NRHA’s 48th Annual Rural Health Conference, 10th Rural Hospital Innovation Summit, and associated events constitute the largest gathering of rural health professionals in the country May 20-23 in Atlanta, GA. Don’t miss NRHA’s expanded Rural Health Access Conference May 19-20 and Rural Medical Education Conference occurring immediately beforehand on May 20.

Rural Health and Cancer Conference, June 19-21, Burlington, Vermont

The University of Vermont Cancer Center is pleased to announce the inaugural Rural Health and Cancer Conference to be held June 19-21, 2025, in Burlington, Vermont. The conference aims to improve rural cancer outcomes by convening a wide-array of experts from across the nation in rural cancer health care delivery and building cross-disciplinary collaborations amongst rural cancer health experts. For more information and to register visit the Rural Health and Cancer Conference page.

About the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program

The vision of the HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a world free of HPV cancers. The program aims to reduce HPV cancer deaths locally and nationally by increasing on-time HPV vaccination coverage through education, promoting best practice models, and strategic partner engagement locally, regionally, and nationally. The program is committed to ensuring equitable access to HPV cancer prevention, which includes a specific focus on geographic disparities in the southeastern United States and in rural communities. Learn more about the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program at stjude.org/hpv. Contact the program at PreventHPV@stjude.org for more information.