Background: Despite the availability of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, its uptake remains sub-optimal across all the eligible age groups in sub-Saharan Africa countries. The vaccine hesitancy is driven partly by a lack of information regarding the safety and efficacy of the HPV vaccine. This study evaluated the use of text messaging to improve HPV vaccine uptake in most at-risk population of adolescent girls living with HIV.
Methodology: We enrolled 152 vaccine naïve adolescent girls and randomised them to either an intervention or a control arm. The intervention arm received weekly messages containing information about cervical cancer, HPV and HPV vaccination. The participants were follow-up for 6 months, with their vaccination status recorded at every clinic visit. The difference in the vaccination rates between the intervention and the control arms of the study was analysed using t-test to determine statistical significance.
Results: Of the 151 participants who completed the study, 35 (23.2%) received the first dose of the HPV vaccine by the time the study closed at 6 months. Among these, 9 (25.7%) were respondents in the control arm and 26 (74.3%) in the intervention arm. This difference in HPV vaccine uptake was statistically significant p = 0.001. A Kaplan-Meier plot showed a shorter time to vaccination in the intervention arm compared to the control arm.
Conclusion: The use of short text messaging services is a viable communication channel for sharing information about HPV and HPV vaccination with both parents and adolescent girls. This approach has the potential to improve uptake of HPV vaccination.
