Doreen Tuhebwe

Sabin Social & Behavioral Research Project

Improving HPV Vaccine Acceptance Through Peer-to-peer Education Among Adolescent Girls in the Urban Poor Settings of Kisenyi, Kampala, Uganda

Doreen Tuhebwe, a research associate from the Makerere University School of Public Health in Kampala, Uganda, analyzed the effectiveness of peer group participation models to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake in poor urban settings. The study aimed at training and empowering vaccinated adolescent girls aged 10-14 living in Kisenyi to effectively advocate for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine uptake among unvaccinated girls in their neighbourhood using a peer-to-peer education approach. The principles of human centered design, persuasion, social networks and repeat socialization were applied in the study.

In the reporting year (August 2019-March 2020), the HPV V-UP study team conducted peer educator mentorship meetings with 18 girls in Kisenyi. Through the study, a total of 145 girls who had not received the HPV vaccine were identified by the peer educators and interested to take up the vaccine. After a period of 12 weeks follow up, 88/145 girls from Kisenyi had received their first doze of the vaccine.

The study team at MakSPH found that using the peer education approach for immunization is feasible in the urban poor context and peer educators can improve the attitudes of girls and their caretakers towards the HPV vaccine and potentially increase acceptance. Through a peer-to-peer education approach, unvaccinated girls can be identified, engaged, convinced and supported to overcome vaccine refusal. They recommend that during demand creation for the HPV vaccine all key influencers of the “vaccination decision making pathway” should be engaged especially the caretakers.