Clinical trial NCT03759236: Increasing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Uptake Via General Health Messaging
Official title: Increasing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Uptake Via General Health Messaging
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Human Papilloma Virus
Keywords: Health Messaging
Health Education
Human Papilloma Virus
HPV Vaccination
Lead sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
First posted: 2018-11-29
Enrollment: 3
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 21
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Two clinics are randomized to receive the health messaging via SMS and the third clinic is randomized to receive standard CDC health education materials.
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Background: Prevention of cervical cancer and genital warts could be achieved by immunization with the prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines commercially available. However, in the U.S. only 38% of females and 14% of males in the recommended age group (9-26 years) receive the complete, three-dose HPV vaccine. Because the HPV vaccine is covered under the Vaccine for Children Program, the underinsured and uninsured have no-cost access. Nonetheless, data from Los Angeles county suggest that HPV vaccination rates among the uninsured and underinsured groups are significantly lower than the national average, likely related to knowledge of the vaccine, transportation, number of doses and concern of side effects.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of health oriented text messaging to increase HPV vaccine uptake versus standard health messaging (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HPV vaccine information flyers).

Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that receiving general health messaging, including messages regarding the benefits of the HPV vaccine, will increase HPV vaccine uptake. Text messaging will also be more successful in reaching the uninsured and underinsured populations than will traditional flyers/information pamphlets used in clinics.

Methods: A cluster randomized trial design will be used to recruit participants from four clinics in Los Angeles County which offer pediatric vaccination to uninsured and underinsured children. The sample will include women aged 18-45 years of age. Two of the sites will be randomized to the text messaging arm and the other clinic will be randomized to the control arm (standard messaging: CDC flyers and pamphlets available for patients at the clinic). Outcome measures will be HPV vaccinations rates at those clinics. Rates will be defined into groups who received 1 dose, 2 doses and 3 doses.

Anticipated Results: The investigators expect to find statistically significant higher HPV vaccination rates among children and women in the text messaging study arm compared to the control arm.

Implications and Future Studies: This pilot study will give us preliminary data to submit a larger randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of text messaging.

Detailed description: Prevention of cervical cancer and genital warts could be achieved by immunization with the prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines commercially available. However, in the U.S. only 38% of females and 14% of males in the recommended age group (9-26 years) receive the complete, three-dose HPV vaccine. Because the HPV vaccine is covered under the Vaccine for Children Program, the underinsured and uninsured have no-cost access. Nonetheless, data from Los Angeles county suggest that HPV vaccination rates among the uninsured and underinsured groups are significantly lower than the national average, likely related to knowledge of the vaccine, transportation, number of doses and concern of side effects. The primary objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the efficacy of health oriented text messaging to increase HPV vaccine uptake versus standard health messaging (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HPV vaccine information flyers).

The investigators hypothesize HPV vaccine uptake will be improved through the receipt of general health messaging that includes HPV vaccine messages. Such messaging will increase knowledge about HPV vaccine availability, as well as improve the perceptions around HPV vaccination. Text messaging will also be more successful in reaching large population groups than traditional flyers/information pamphlets used in clinics.

First, among our three participating clinics, the investigators convened community advisory boards (CABs) of individuals who are English and Spanish speaking to identify appropriate text messages including content, length of message and frequency of messaging (once a week, every other week). Topics included HPV vaccine messages, contraceptive information on hormonal contraception, long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods, dysmenorrhea, frequent menses, and vaginal discharge. The investigators focused on all topics and specifically messaging of HPV vaccine that are considered neutral and yet compelling. The investigators built upon the feedback obtained from the CAB. Each clinic serves at least 500 uninsured and underinsured children that offer regular HPV vaccination to these children. Of these three clinics, two of the sites will be randomized to the intervention arm (text messaging) and 1 site to have CDC flyers only. The sites currently collect information on all immunization given at their site. The sites will de-identify their vaccine rates for HPV at the end of the study and send us the de-identified data sets for vaccine rates, age (not birth date) and number of nursing/doctor visits made by age group.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Women who are patients at the clinic
* Age 21+
* Have a working mobile phone with SMS capability

Exclusion Criteria:

* Male
* \<21 years of age
* Do not have a working mobile phone with SMS capability

Primary outcomes:
measure: HPV Vaccination Rate
timeFrame: 1 year
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Los Angeles
country: United States
facility: University of California Los Angeles
state: California
Study officials:
affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles
name: Anna-Barbara Moscicki, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: