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| Casey Daniel, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of family medicine research at the USA College of Medicine, examines a vile of the HPV vaccine in the specialty pharmacy at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute. |
A University of South Alabama public health researcher will present virtually at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association on Oct. 27. Casey L. Daniel, Ph.D., M.P.H., an assistant professor of family medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, will give two oral presentations on recent work focused on initiatives to increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
In her talk “HPV Vaccination Promotion for Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention: An Alabama Initiative,” Daniel will discuss a 2019 statewide grassroots campaign that brought together the state oral health office, cancer researchers, academics, physicians/surgeons and dental professionals to promote a “Watch Your Mouth!” campaign for the first-ever Oral Cancer Awareness Month in Alabama.
The campaign was designed to communicate the connection between HPV and oropharyngeal cancer. HPV infection is associated with cancer of the oropharynx (back of the throat) as well as cancers of cervix, vulva, vagina, penis and anus. Daniel, who also is director of epidemiology and public health at the University of South Alabama, conducts research on cancer prevention in the division of cancer control and prevention at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.
Her second presentation, “HPV Vaccination Promotion on Campus: Formative Focus Group Interviews to Inform Campaign Development,” will share how researchers implemented focus groups with undergraduate students at USA to identify best practices to increase HPV awareness among college students. Research findings indicated that future campaigns targeting college students should incorporate dual messaging regarding both cancer and genital warts as outcomes of HPV, coordinate initiatives partnering with students and utilize social media outlets as well as campus resources such as student organizations.
The APHA annual meeting, set for Oct. 24-28, draws an estimated 12,000 participants each year.
