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325916
Evaluation of Fotonovela to Increase Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Hispanic Community


Monday, November 2, 2015

Alvin Chan, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA
Brandon Brown, PhD, MPH, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA
Enedina Sepulveda, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA
Lorena Teran-Clayton, MPH, PhD, Clayton MD Total Health Center, San Diego, CA
  
Background: Fotonovelas (photographic soap operas) represent a powerful vehicle for health education, particularly in Spanish-speaking cultures. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a theory-informed, evidence-­guided fotonovela in changing attitudes towards human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in a Hispanic community. 

Methods: Young adult patients (N=29, aged 18-26 years) from UCI-FHC were administered pretest and posttest surveys to assess changes in attitudes after reading the fotonovela. Variables included perceived susceptibility to HPV, perceived benefit of vaccination, intent to vaccinate, intent to encourage social networks to vaccinate, and impression towards vaccination. The fotonovela was also evaluated for educational quality, entertainment value, readability, and cultural relevance. Means and percentages were computed for variables. Paired t-­tests were used to detect changes from pretest to posttest.

Results: Most participants were female (79%), Latino/Hispanic (90%), and single (66%). The mean age was 22.2 years. The fotonovela was viewed as entertaining (93%), engaging (93%), educational (97%), and easy to read (100%). After the intervention, participants showed improvements in 4 of 5 areas, including perceived susceptibility (+1.78%), intent to vaccinate (+7.93%), intent to encourage others to vaccinate (+3.94%), and impression towards vaccination (+10.4%). The increase was significant only for impression towards vaccination (p=0.003). At baseline, the perceived benefit of vaccination was high (2.9 on 3­-point scale); no change was observed post­-intervention. Adjustment for marital status revealed that participants in domestic partnerships became more willing to vaccinate (p=0.021).

Conclusions: The results suggest that the fotonovela is a promising strategy to promote HPV vaccine acceptance. Future efforts should focus on dissemination of fotonovela to other Hispanic communities.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify the need for culturally and linguistically adapted health communication tools to reduce human papillomavirus (HPV) disease burden among Latinos. Describe the utility of fotonovelas in changing knowledge, perceptions and intentions related to HPV vaccination

Keyword(s): Health Literacy, Latinos

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal of multiple private and federally funded projects focusing on HPV vaccine interventions and cervical cancer prevention among Latinos. I have also conducted international clinical trial work on HPV vaccine.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3110.1: Health Communication in Public Health Research and Practice (organized by HCWG)