The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $2.56 million to the School's Health Promotion Research Center to fund three special interest projects.

HPV Vaccine Impact among Men who have Sex with Men

This study will be the one of the largest to date to evaluate the epidemiology of anogenital human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in young men who have sex with men (MSM). Compared to men who have sex with women, MSM are at higher risk of acquiring HPV infections and developing anal cancers. Although vaccine trials demonstrated protection against genital lesions and anal neoplasias in MSM, the real-world impact of HPV vaccination introduction in young MSM (18 to 26 years old) has not been established. Principal investigator Rachel Winer states, “HPV and HPV-related diseases are serious health problems. It is important to get data from this population (young MSM) to assist in guiding vaccination policies and promotion.”

Pilot Program of Mailed Fecal Immunochemical Tests to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths. This study seeks to collaborate with Medicaid health plans to first develop a registry tool to identify patients eligible for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, then support health plans in implementing a screening and follow-up program to directly mail fecal immunochemical tests to patients' homes. Says Laura-Mae Baldwin, co-principal investigator (PI), "If the program is successful and Medicaid health plans can maintain it over the long term, fewer people will die from CRC." The project is a collaboration with Group Health Research Institute (Beverly Green, co-PI) and Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research Northwest (Gloria Coronado, co-PI).

Economic Costs of Quality Assurance in Lung Cancer Screening Programs

This study will convene an advisory board of experts from five cancer screening programs to identify and rank critical quality measures of lung cancer screening. Three screening programs will then pilot the proposed measures by integrating them into their ongoing quality improvement efforts. Study investigators will measure the costs of generating these quality measures, and the advisory board will review their findings in order to recommend a final set of quality measures for community adoption. “I really care about how screening investments and decisions are made so we have optimal outcomes, and ultimately save lives,” says Steve Zeliadt, principal investigator of the study.

The Health Promotion Research Center, in the UW School of Public Health, is one of 26 CDC Prevention Research Centers.