The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent 90% of cancers caused by HPV. Health care provider recommendations affect vaccine uptake, yet there are a lack of studies examining the impact of the school nurse (SN) in vaccine recommendations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of adding a SN HPV recommendation to the standard…

Parental vaccine hesitancy has been a hotly debated issue long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the emergence of a new vaccine during this public health crisis made even pro-vaccine individuals reconsider vaccines for their children. This scoping review was conducted to understand why parents expressed hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine…

Adults on the autism spectrum and those with intellectual disability or mental health conditions may be at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 or experiencing more severe illness if infected. We identified risk factors for COVID-19 among adults enrolled in Medicaid with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, intellectual disability, or mental…

The well-being of Texas children is essential to the future of our state. Recent years have presented significant challenges for Texas' youngest residents, particularly in areas of economic stability, health, and education. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Texas declined from 43rd to 45th in national rankings for overall child…