HPV Immunization for Middle School Girls:

Cost-Effective?

 

Dr. M. Geraldino

Frederick Douglass Academy II

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction:

 

There has been an ongoing debate on whether a vaccine against HPV, or human papilloma virus, should be added to the must-have list of immunizations. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer and genital warts. The United States records some 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer each year, and 3,700 cervical cancer deaths.

 

Indeed, the recommendation that all 11-12 year old girls be immunized with HPV vaccine is an important public health milestone. However, mandating this vaccine for school attendance raises a number of unique social, financial, ethical and moral questions and cost-effectiveness issues.

 

Should HPV vaccine be required under the Vaccine for Children Program, how much would the vaccination program cost per child?  Should insurance companies be made to cover the vaccine cost? How much would the government spend annually should HPV vaccine be covered under a federal program available to uninsured and Medicaid eligible children? This issue presents a problem not only to parents but also to the American society as a whole.

You have been asked to join a community activist group to research the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccine and to lobby congress for laws to better deal with this issue. Your work will have great impact to thousands of American families today and in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Task:

 

Working in groups of five, you will research the issues that involve the HPV disease. You will determine the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccine using the resources listed below and the Public Policy Analyst worksheets. Each group will develop a presentation of about five minutes discussing the advantages and disadvantages of HPV vaccination.

 

 

Process:

 

Ø     You will be divided into groups of five to undertake the task, make a report using PowerPoint presentation of ten slides.

 

Ø     Each group is required to organize themselves into assigned roles to complete the tasks:

§        Your teacher will select members of each group to fill each of the following roles:

 

§        Group Leader- Who will organize the group and coordinate the group’s effort. The leader also assists all other members in completing their tasks.

 

§        Recorder and Secretary- Writes the results of researchers in a format that can be presented. The Recorder keeps all research materials for the
group’s use.

 

§        Researchers- These two will look at the websites and present the data for the groups as a whole to analyze.

 

§        Presenter- Who will describe the group’s findings to the class as a whole. The Presenter may also work with the whole group in developing a format for the presentation, which may be a poster board
PowerPoint, etc.

Ø     Students will be required to follow the process of the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) by reviewing the following steps to guide them in the process with their group:

 

1.    Identify the Problem using Worksheet #1.

2.    Gather Evidence using Worksheet # 2.

3.    Identify Causes of the Problem using Worksheet # 3.

4.    Evaluate the Policy, with emphasis on its cost-effectiveness and using Worksheet #4.

5.    Develop a solution to the Problem using Worksheet #5.

6.    Select the Best Solution using Worksheet #6.

 

 

Resources:

 

A Vaccine to Save Women’s Lives

 

What is HPV?

 

HPV Vaccine: Questions and Answers.

 

Daily Women’s Health Policy

 

Cost-effectiveness of HPV Vaccine Established in Stanford Study

  

How Much Does the HPV Vaccine Cost?

 

 Women Carry Cost of HPV Vaccine    

 

Mandatory HPV Immunization for Middle School Girls

 

 

Evaluation: Your work will be graded based upon the following rubric:

 

 

Criteria

Points

 

4

3

2

1

 

PPA Policy

Worksheets

Steps 1-6

All questions were answered completely and rationales for the answers were clearly stated.

All questions were answered completely, but rationales for the all the answers were not clearly stated.

Not all questions were answered completely, or greater than 2 rationales for the all answers were not clearly stated.

All questions were not answered completely.

____

Power Point

Presentation

- Clear and full presentation of material (10 slides)

 

- Shows sophisticated control of elements of power point program

 

- Demonstrates full control of language conventions

 

- Clear presentation of material (10 slides)

- Shows control of elements of power point program

- Demonstrates control of language conventions with very few mistakes

- Basic presentation of material (less than 4,5 slides)

- Basic control of elements of power point program

- Some errors in language conventions get in way of presentation

- Insufficient and/or unclear presentation of material

- Little control of power point program

- Significant errors in language conventions which get in way of presentation

____

Process: Teamwork

It is evident that a mutual effort and cohesive unit created the final product.

The team worked well together, but could have utilized each other's skills to a better degree.

The team had problems working together. Little collaboration occurred.

The final product is not the result of a collaborative effort. The group showed no evidence of collaboration.

____

Process: Originality, Technology/

Math Integration

The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a high degree of originality and math/technology integration.

The ideas expressed by the body of work are mostly original. The group may have improved upon a previous idea.

The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a low degree of originality and math/technology integration.

There were no original ideas expressed in this project.

______

Oral Report

Based on PowerPoint presentation the research is clear and well articulated.

The PowerPoint presentation is clear but the research could be more thorough.

The PowerPoint presentation is not clear and needs more research.

The PowerPoint presentation is not clear and has no research.

_____

 

 

 

 

Total---->

_

20-18=A     17-15=B     14-12= C     >12=F

 

Conclusion:

 

Upon completion of this project, you and your teammates will have examined a national social problem and its impact to the American society in general. You will have exercised your critical, analytical, and mathematical thinking skills by exploring the pros and cons of an existing policy and by deciding on the cost-effectiveness of a proposed solution to the problem. You will have produced an engaging, technologically-enhanced, and persuasive presentation that will raise awareness among New York City students on the financial and social costs of HPV.

 

Most importantly, you will have used mathematics to analyze and make decisions on a real-life social problem!!!

 

Standards:

           

 

Math Standards

·  M5:  Students collect and display data; use statistical methods such as graphs, tables and charts to interpret data. proposes and implement solutions; and evaluates the accuracy, design, and outcomes of investigations.

 

·  M6:  Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

 

Science Standards

·  S5e:  Identifies problems; proposes and implement solutions; and evaluates the accuracy, design, and outcomes of investigations.

·  S5f:  Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and ideas. 

·  S7e:  Communicates in a form suited to the purpose and the audience.

 

Communication Arts Standards

·  E1c:  Read and comprehend informational materials.

·  E2a:  Produce a report of information.

·  E3c:  Prepare and deliver a group presentation.