Text Message Reminder–Recall to Increase HPV Immunization in Young HIV-1-Infected Patients

• Main Authors: Susana Williams Keeshin MD, Judith Feinberg MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2017-03-01
• Series: Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/2325957416682302

HIV infected patients have higher rates of HPV infection, worse disease progression, increase severity of disease, and are at higher risk for intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer than their HIV negative counterparts. We conducted a yearlong pilot project to evaluate the impact of text message HPV immunization reminder-recall in young HIV-1 positive patients in a large urban academic HIV clinic. We found that text message reminder-recall improved HPV immunization uptake in a young, primarily black and un- or under-insured HIV-1 infected patients. As communication by texting is characteristic of teens and young adults in the general population, text message reminder-recalls should be considered a viable option to improve vaccination rates among young HIV patients.