Marketability of a technology-based intervention to increase HPV vaccination. - The purpose of this Phase II research project is to evaluate and market an innovative health message
intervention to increase uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and reduce women’s cervical
cancer risk through partnership with Planned Parenthood. The overall aim is to reach a broad population
through Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care center, especially among
low socioeconomic status (SES) and historically underserved populations. Despite an overall increase in
vaccination and reduction in HPV-related infections in younger populations targeted by previous health
promotion efforts, young adult women who are recommended for vaccination demonstrate much lower
vaccination rates and higher rates of infection. In a recent Phase I grant, we developed and demonstrated the
usability and feasibility of an innovative, culturally-grounded, technology-based narrative intervention that
delivers decision narratives in the form of videos via a health kiosk, an underutilized communication strategy
for reaching less involved audiences. This brief, low-cost, easily implementable intervention doubled the
uptake of the vaccine in a separate pilot study. The proposed Phase II project will: (1) Complete development of
the intervention, (2) Evaluate its effectiveness through a randomized clinical trial, and (3) Prepare the product
for the market. To accomplish these aims, we will develop the intervention for implementation in waiting
rooms as part of check-in procedures and exam rooms as part of intake. Our pilot research suggests these are
both viable implementation strategies. Development includes programing and installing tablets to accomplish
these tasks (Aim 1). We will then conduct the evaluation study in six Planned Parenthood clinics in
southeastern Pennsylvania (Aim 2). In the waiting room condition, women will complete check-in via a tablet
and that information used to identify and recruit eligible volunteers (unvaccinated women aged 18-26). In the
exam room condition the intervention will be viewed on a tablet as part of the intake procedure, facilitated by a
nurse or other designated clinic staff. Eligible women will be consented, complete a pretest, and then
randomized to view the brief intervention or attention control messages via the tablet. After viewing the
messages, they will complete a short posttest. Participants will receive follow up texts/emails reminding them
to vaccinate, as well as texts/emails with links that allow them to complete posttest surveys at 3- and 9 months.
Finally, we will prepare the intervention for the market that includes not only Planned Parenthood but other
clinics that are currently served by the project partners as well as the broader market for HPV vaccination (Aim
3). In summary, the proposed communication strategy has wide reaching implications not only for reducing
cancer risk, but more broadly for designing brief and easily implemented prevention messages across many
domains of public health. The research will also close the health disparities gap in minority, underserved young
adult women’s access to preventive health care.
