Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
The Latinx population in the United States has a long history of mistrust toward the medical system, a sentiment that continues to shape healthcare access today. A 2022 Pew Research study found that 20% of Latinx individuals reported feeling that medical professionals were unwelcoming, which underscores the deep-rooted barriers to care. Latinx individuals, in particular, face a range of challenges when it comes to healthcare, including lower rates of health insurance coverage, limited access to preventive care, and lower utilization of health services overall. These challenges are compounded by factors such as language and cultural differences, a lack of culturally competent care, and the higher poverty rates often seen within immigrant communities, especially among recent arrivals. As a result, many in the Latinx community experience poorer health outcomes compared to the general population.
In Iowa, the Latinx communities are growing and represent a significant portion of the state’s diverse immigrant population. Yet, despite this growth, many Latinx individuals continue to struggle with barriers to healthcare, including medical distrust and limited access to routine preventive care and vaccinations. One COVID-19 study found that non-Latinx individuals in Iowa received approximately 732 vaccine doses per capita, while Latinx individuals received only about 423 doses per capita. Contributing factors to the lower vaccination rate in Latinx communities include demanding work schedules, limited access to vaccine education, and misinformation about vaccines.
Human Papillomavirus Webinar:
Vaccine Updates & Effective Conversations with Hesitant Patients; August 11, 2025
Immunization Partnership Grant
In November 2024, IA AAP partnered with Iowa Immunizes and Knock And Drop Iowa to provide grassroots, community outreach by hosting resource pop up events in communities across the state with high rates of Latinx community members to provide local resources like legal advice on immigration status, Latinx support groups and small businesses, public health departments for vaccines, and information on HPV cancer prevention and VFA / VFC programs in their county. Although the focus was on adolescents ages 9-17, we encouraged adults up to age 45 years old to get vaccinated as well.
We co-hosted three community events in:
- Council Bluffs
- Storm Lake, and
- Des Moines Iowa
We had the Executive Director of Knock And Drop Iowa provide an HPV talk on her lived experience surviving cervical cancer and how the HPV vaccine can prevent six types of cancers. Across the three events, we had 494 attendees, 45 HPV vaccinations, and 10 MMR vaccinations. Each attendee had access and received HPV cancer prevention information, VFA / VFC county-specific information, and measles vaccine information available in English and Spanish, a bag of groceries per family, and a gift card for those that acquired the HPV vaccine.
We continue to partner with Knock And Drop Iowa to help coordinate resources for ongoing community events.
If interested in getting involved, please contact Executive Director, Kristina Seier.
