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Practicum 1: Human Papillomavirus
Name
Affiliation
Course Unit: Course Name
Instructor
Date
, 2
Practicum 1: Human Papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus (HPV) remains one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted
infections, affecting around 79 million people in the US, with additional 14 million contracting
the infection each year (Quilan, 2021). High-risk HPV types, such as HPV1-6 and HPV-18 are
oncogenic often increasing odds of oropharyngeal, penile, vaginal, vulvar, anal and cervical
cancers. Low-risk types such as HPV-11 and HPV-6 do not increase the risk of cancer, but can
lead to benign conditions such as genital warts, which can lead to psychological distress, and
discomfort (Wolf et al., 2024). Today, vaccination has emerged as the most effective way for
preventing HPV, and risk of HPV-related conditions, with studies reporting 90 to 100% efficacy
in preventing infections, and HPV related conditions when administered according to
recommended guidelines (administered 11 to 12 years) (Quilan, 2021). However, uptake of the
full dose, especially among adolescents in Michigan remains low. The aim of the current paper is
to discuss the target population for health interventions relating to HPV, rationale for selecting
the population, how the problem will be presented to the group, and leadership, collaboration,
communication and change management skills that will be used while working with the group.
Target Population and Rationale
The population of interest are adolescents residing in Michigan between the age of 13 and
17 years. In 2024, there were 744,079 individuals falling under that age group based on
Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MDHHS, 2024). They are made of diverse individuals
from different racial/ethnic groups, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The rationale for
selecting the population is that uptake of the HPV vaccine remains below the Healthy People
2030 goals, and such a population could benefit from uptake of full HPV vaccine. According to
2024 statistics, only 45.4% of the female adolescent population had taken the complete HPV
Practicum 1: Human Papillomavirus
Name
Affiliation
Course Unit: Course Name
Instructor
Date
, 2
Practicum 1: Human Papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus (HPV) remains one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted
infections, affecting around 79 million people in the US, with additional 14 million contracting
the infection each year (Quilan, 2021). High-risk HPV types, such as HPV1-6 and HPV-18 are
oncogenic often increasing odds of oropharyngeal, penile, vaginal, vulvar, anal and cervical
cancers. Low-risk types such as HPV-11 and HPV-6 do not increase the risk of cancer, but can
lead to benign conditions such as genital warts, which can lead to psychological distress, and
discomfort (Wolf et al., 2024). Today, vaccination has emerged as the most effective way for
preventing HPV, and risk of HPV-related conditions, with studies reporting 90 to 100% efficacy
in preventing infections, and HPV related conditions when administered according to
recommended guidelines (administered 11 to 12 years) (Quilan, 2021). However, uptake of the
full dose, especially among adolescents in Michigan remains low. The aim of the current paper is
to discuss the target population for health interventions relating to HPV, rationale for selecting
the population, how the problem will be presented to the group, and leadership, collaboration,
communication and change management skills that will be used while working with the group.
Target Population and Rationale
The population of interest are adolescents residing in Michigan between the age of 13 and
17 years. In 2024, there were 744,079 individuals falling under that age group based on
Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MDHHS, 2024). They are made of diverse individuals
from different racial/ethnic groups, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The rationale for
selecting the population is that uptake of the HPV vaccine remains below the Healthy People
2030 goals, and such a population could benefit from uptake of full HPV vaccine. According to
2024 statistics, only 45.4% of the female adolescent population had taken the complete HPV
