Oral healthcare providers play a vital role in vaccination efforts: Patient perspectives

OBJECTIVES

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is associated with 70% of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the infectious cause of a global pandemic that killed millions worldwide. Effective vaccinations exist against both diseases, but patient acceptance remains a challenge. The objective of this study was to assess patients' attitudes toward oral healthcare providers' (OHCPs) roles in HPV and COVID-19 vaccinations.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of young adult patients was distributed in Philadelphia, PA, between April and June 2021. The survey assessed knowledge and attitudes around OHCPs serving various roles in COVID-19 and HPV vaccination.

RESULTS

Nearly 70% of 163 respondents would accept the recommendation for a COVID-19 vaccine from an OHCP, while 56% would for HPV. Those previously vaccinated against COVID-19 were more comfortable discussing COVID-19 vaccines (92%, p < .001) or HPV vaccines (76%, p < .001) with OHCPs compared to those who were unvaccinated against COVID-19. African American/Black patients were less comfortable discussing vaccines, irrespective of vaccination status.

CONCLUSIONS

OHCP can play a vital role in increasing the overall COVID-19 and HPV vaccination status of the public, as demonstrated by the high acceptance of dental involvement in both vaccine campaigns. Racial disparity in vaccination attitude is a public health challenge that needs to be addressed.

First result of photoabsorption spectroscopic studies beamline (PASS, BL-07) installed on Indus-1 synchrotron source

The photoabsorption spectroscopic studies (PASS) beamline (PASS-BL07), installed at a bending magnet 450 MeV, 100 mA Indus-1 synchrotron source (India), is capable of performing photoabsorption studies in the vacuum ultraviolet to soft x-ray range of thin films and solid samples. The beamline covers an energy range of 55 eV-840 eV by an in-house developed SX-700 type plane grating monochromator. This energy range will cover the absorption spectra of low Z-elements like C, N, and O as well as the L and M threshold of 3d elements such as Ti, V, S, etc. The beamline will be significantly used for studying organic semiconductors, graphene, etc. In this article, the design details of the beamline and some of the recent scientific results have been presented.