Human papillomavirus vaccine delivery strategies that achieved high coverage in low- and middle-income countries

Human papillomavirus vaccination uptake and determinant factors among adolescent schoolgirls in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Despite the ongoing global vaccination campaign aimed at preventing human papillomavirus (HPV) related health issues, the uptake of the HPV vaccine remains unacceptably low in developing regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at determining the pooled prevalence and associated factors of HPV vaccine uptake among adolescent school girls in SSA. Electronic bio-medical databases were explored. Pooled prevalence, publication bias, meta-regression, sub-group, and sensitivity analysis were performed. The estimated pooled prevalence of HPV vaccine uptake was 28.53% [95% CI: (5.25, 51.81)]. Having good knowledge and a positive attitude was significantly associated with HPV vaccine uptake in SSA. Subgroup analysis revealed the highest uptake was 62.52% from Kenya and the lowest was 3.77% in Nigeria. The HPV vaccine uptake is low. It underscores the need for community education, school-based immunization, and education programs that promote the uptake of the vaccine to increase coverage.

Exploring trends and determinants of basic childhood vaccination coverage: Empirical evidence over 41 years

Vaccination is widely considered to be one of the most important prevention measures as a health strategy. This paper examines trends in basic childhood vaccination coverage and which country and time-dependent determinants may have influenced childhood immunization rates (1-dose BCG, 1- and 3-dose DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), 1-dose measles, and 3-dose polio) between 1980 and 2020 across 94 countries. We identify economic, inequality, demographic, health, education, labor market, environmental, and political stability factors of immunization. To do this, we use data from the annual WHO and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) coverage estimates. The empirical analysis consists of generalized estimating equation models to assess relationships between immunization rates and socioeconomic factors. Additionally, we follow the Barro and Sala-i-Martín approach to identify conditional convergence. Our findings show the strongest positive statistically significant association between immunization rates and GDP per capita, as well as births attended by skilled health staff. Moreover, our research demonstrates conditional convergence, indicating that countries converge towards different steady states. The present study brings new insights to investigating the determinants of childhood vaccination coverage and provides significant implications for health policies.

Behavioral interventions for vaccination uptake: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Human behavior and more specifically behavioral insight-based approaches to vaccine uptake have often been overlooked. While there have been a few narrative reviews indexed in Medline on behavioral interventions to increase vaccine uptake, to our knowledge, none have been systematic reviews and meta-analyses covering not just high but also low-and-middle income countries.

METHODS

We included 613 studies from the Medline database in our systematic review and meta-analysis categorizing different behavioral interventions in 9 domains: education campaigns, on-site vaccination, incentives, free vaccination, institutional recommendation, provider recommendation, reminder and recall, message framing, and vaccine champion. Additionally, considering that there is variability in the acceptance of vaccines among different populations, we assessed studies from both high-income countries (HICs) and low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), separately.

FINDINGS

Our results showed that behavioral interventions can considerably improve vaccine uptake in most settings. All domains that we examined improved vaccine uptake with the highest effect size associated with provider recommendation (OR: 3.4 (95%CI: 2.5-4.6); Domain: motivation) and on-site vaccination (OR: 2.9 (95%CI: 2.3-3.7); Domain: practical issues). While the number of studies conducted in LMICs was smaller, the quality of studies was similar with those conducted in HICs. Nevertheless, there were variations in the observed effect sizes.

INTERPRETATION

Our findings indicate that "provider recommendation" and "on-site vaccination" along with other behavioral interventions can be employed to increase vaccination rates globally.

Exploring Parents' Decisions Regarding HPV Vaccination for Their Daughters in Jakarta, Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. Although many countries have introduced national HPV vaccination programs, many girls worldwide remain unprotected. As part of a demonstration project in 2016, the Indonesian government provided the HPV vaccination for free to all year five and six female students in Jakarta and several other cities, with a plan to roll out the program nationally in the future. Understanding parents' decision-making regarding whether they will allow their daughters to receive the HPV vaccine is important to ensure optimum uptake.

Methods: Twenty-four parents in Jakarta were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically using The Theory of Planned Behaviour constructs of attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control.

Result: Some parents had limited knowledge about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine; others did not even realise that the free HPV vaccination program had been offered in their daughter's schools. Those who had better knowledge and positive attitudes trusted their health professionals as a source of information. Peer approval, trust in the government and having the vaccine through a school-based program was important for trust, eliminated cost barriers, and increased access.

Conclusion: Parents' attitudes towards cervical cancer and HPV vaccination are influenced in part by their knowledge. Shaping positive initial attitudes is important, as once formed, attitudes are often difficult to change. Our findings suggest that a free school-based vaccine accompanied by sufficient and non-ambiguous information from trusted sources is vital to uptake.

Insights to COVID-19 vaccine delivery: Results from a survey of 27 countries

Most countries rolled out COVID-19 vaccination during 2021-2022. However, COVID-19 vaccine delivery cost estimates are still needed to support planning and budgeting to integrate COVID-19 vaccines into routine programs and to target high risk populations, specifically within resource-scarce contexts. Management Sciences for Health and the COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership Working Group collected country-level data through two surveys exploring global experiences with vaccine roll-out. 40 respondents from 27 countries responded to the surveys in November 2021 and May 2022. Respondents described their country's human resources needs, vaccine delivery modalities, demand generation strategies, booster uptake, cold chain capacity, supplies, and sub-population targets. The surveys highlighted unexpected trends in hiring, reliance on newer and costlier delivery and demand generation methods and significant gaps regarding HR, supplies, boosters, cold chain and reaching sub-populations. These types of opportunity assessments are useful ways of rapidly filling gaps in information needed to adequately cost alternative delivery strategies.

Association between contextual factors and coverage of the Acwy meningococcal vaccine, after three years of its overdue, in the vaccination calendar of adolescents in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil: global space regressions

The objective of the study was to analyze the spatial distribution of vaccination coverage of bacterial meningitis vaccine: A, C, W and Y (menacwy) and identify the association between socioeconomic and social environment factors with menacwy vaccine coverage among adolescents in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. This is an ecological, mixed study, conducted with secondary data from the 853 municipalities of the State of MG, Brazil, from 2020 to 2022, provided by the information system of the National Immunization Program. For spatial statistical analysis, spatial dependence and the presence of spatial clusters formed by municipalities with high and low vaccination coverage of Menacwy were evaluated. In the year 2021, MG presented the largest vaccination coverage (60.58%) since the introduction of the Menacwy vaccine by the PNI. Regarding the analysis of global regressions, it is observed that for the year 2020, as the MG Index of Social Responsibility-Health increased and MG Index of Social Responsibility-Public Security increased, increased the vaccination coverage of the municipalities of the Menacwy vaccine. Finally, compared to 2021, similar association was observed in relation to the proportion of the population served by the Family Health Strategy of the municipalities of the state of MG and per capita spending on education activities: as this indicator increased, with increased coverage of the Vaccine of the Menacwy vaccine of the state municipalities. They reinforce the importance of assessing the quality-of-care management and health surveillance system, professional training, and damage reduction to populations, especially adolescents.

Implementation Strategies Used to Increase Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Uptake by Adolescent Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review

Barriers to successful implementation of the human papillomavirus vaccination exist. However, there is limited evidence on implementation strategies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Therefore, this scoping review aimed to identify implementation strategies used in SSA to increase HPV vaccination uptake for adolescent girls. This scoping review was guided by Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews and an a priori protocol and reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, and gray literature. Two independent reviewers screened article titles and abstracts for possible inclusion, reviewed the full text, and extracted data from eligible articles using a structured data charting table. We identified strategies as specified in the Expert Recommendation for Implementing Change (ERIC) and reported their importance and feasibility. We retrieved 246 articles, included 28 of these, and identified 63 of the 73 ERIC implementation strategies with 667 individual uses, most of which were highly important and feasible. The most frequently used discrete strategies included the following: Build a coalition and change service sites 86% (24/28), distribute educational materials and conduct educational meetings 82% (23/28), develop educational materials, use mass media, involve patients/relatives and families, promote network weaving and stage implementation scale up 79% (22/28), as well as access new funding, promote adaptability, and tailor strategies 75% (21/28). This scoping review shows that implementation strategies of high feasibility and importance were frequently used, suggesting that some strategies may be cross-cutting, but should be contextualized when planned for use in any region.

Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage in Northeast Brazil, 2013-2021: a descriptive study

OBJECTIVE

to describe human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage in the Northeast region of Brazil, in the period from 2013 to 2021.

METHODS

this was a descriptive study conducted with data obtained from the National Immunization Program, which sets a goal of 80% coverage of HPV vaccination in girls aged between 9 and 14 years and boys aged between 11 and 14 years.

RESULTS

HPV vaccination coverage in girls was 73.9%, regarding the first dose, and 54.3% regarding the second dose, and for boys, the coverage of each dose was 49.7% and 32.6%, respectively; with the exception of the states of Ceará and Paraíba, which reached coverage above 80% regarding the first dose in girls, none of the states reached the goal for both doses.

CONCLUSIONS

between 2013 and 2021, HPV vaccination coverage was below the target for both sexes, with the exception of the states of Ceará and Paraíba, which reached the goal for the first dose in the girls.

Human papillomavirus vaccination in low- and middle-income countries: progression, barriers, and future prospective

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a viral infection that, if does not go away, can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer. The national immunization schedules for individuals before sexual debut, significantly decreased HPV-associated mortality and it will be affordable. However, immunization programs remain vulnerable to macroeconomic factors such as inflation, fiscal policy, employment levels, and national income. This review aims to investigate the association between national income in lower-middle-income countries to explore recent advances and potential issues, as well as how to deal with challenges.

Feasibility and sustainability of a school-based platform for integrated delivery of HPV vaccination with adolescent health services in Tanzania: qualitative insights from stakeholders

To meet lofty human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization goals in Tanzania, the Ministry of Health integrated HPV vaccination with adolescent health services using a school-based approach. A qualitative study was conducted in June-July 2021, examining the feasibility and sustainability of an integrated service package, HPV Plus. In-depth interviews with 46 programme implementers (i.e. health-care workers and teachers) and planning stakeholders (i.e. government officials and school administrators) in Dar es Salaam and Njombe Regions explored enablers and constraints to HPV Plus programme implementation, including resource and staffing requirements. Two facilitators and three barriers to HPV Plus feasibility and sustainability were identified from thematic analysis of interviews. Interviewed stakeholders emphasized the programme's feasibility, especially if the efficiencies offered by a school-based platform were optimized. Implementation facilitators included (1) optimized service delivery efficiency through a school-based platform and (2) resources saved by combining adolescent health services and HPV immunization into a single programme package. Key barriers to HPV Plus feasibility and sustainability were (1) time, space and resource constraints (e.g. commodity stockouts and challenges delivering the complete service package to large cohorts of students within allotted times); (2) human resource gaps and increased workloads within the health workforce and (3) insufficient referral mechanisms linking schools to health facilities. Scaling up HPV Plus will require proactive commodity procurement and security; resource mobilization to reach ambitious service delivery targets and close co-ordination of programme implementation with school administrators.

[The "Carmen de Bolívar event" in HPV vaccination in Colombia. Cause or outcome?]

OBJECTIVE

To open the "black box" of the "Carmen de Bolívar event".

METHODS

Search for literature in Medline, Lilacs and Redalyc with the terms "vaccine", "HPV", and "Colombia"; review of national ends surveys and policy documents published on the website of the Colombian Ministry of Health.

RESULTS

Low knowledge of the vaccine by Colombian women before its introduction, no articulation to the sexual and reproductive health policy, lack of prior training of health workers at all levels of care and non-specific communication plans for HPV vaccine.

DISCUSSION

There could be a new list of responsibles to assess "Carmen de Bolívar" more as an outcome. Such as the introduction of the non-integrated vaccine to sexual and reproductive health programs, the absence of prior strengthening of knowledge and skills about HPV and the vaccine in health workers, especially in primary care, the absence of a specific prior communication plan at the start of vaccination, guided by the indications of problems of acceptability in the population and knowledge gaps in women in deep Colombia, the implementation of an operational strategy identical to vaccines for communicable diseases that did not assess the unique characteristics of the vaccine against HPV. But also, the handling of the crisis in El Carmen de Bolívar that did not comply with the WHO recommendations for these cases could operate as an aggravating circumstance, and not as a determining cause of the current problem.

Leveraging health infrastructure to optimize HPV vaccination for adolescents in Zambia: Protocol for an implementation study

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Zambia, where HIV prevalence is also high (11.3%). HIV heightens the risk of developing and dying from cervical cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent 90% of cervical cancers, and in Zambia is recommended for adolescent girls ages 14-15 years, including those with HIV. Currently they mainly deliver HPV vaccination via school-based campaigns, which may exclude the most vulnerable adolescents-those out-of-school or who irregularly attend. Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) are more likely to have these vulnerabilities. Further, school-based campaigns are not tailored to the WHO-recommended HPV vaccination schedule for ALHIV (3 versus 2 doses). Integrating HPV vaccination into routine care in adolescent HIV clinics may ensure that ALHIV have access to vaccine at the WHO-recommended schedule. Such integration requires a multilevel approach, stakeholder engagement, and diversified implementation strategies, given known challenges of providing the HPV vaccine in LMICs, including Zambia.

METHODS

Our study aims to integrate HPV vaccination into routine care in adolescent HIV clinics. To achieve success, we will co-design a package of implementation strategies using a previously successful implementation research approach developed for cervical cancer prevention in LMICs: the Integrative Systems Praxis for Implementation Research (INSPIRE). INSPIRE is a novel, comprehensive approach to develop, implement, and evaluate implementation science efforts. Following key elements of INSPIRE, our specific aims are to: 1) Identify the unique multilevel contextual factors (barriers and facilitators) across HIV settings (rural, urban, peri-urban) that influence HPV vaccine uptake; 2) Use Implementation Mapping to translate stakeholder feedback and findings from Aim 1 into a package of implementation strategies to integrate HPV vaccine into HIV clinics; 3) Conduct a Hybrid Type 3 effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate the package of multilevel implementation strategies for integrating HPV vaccine into HIV clinics.

DISCUSSION

Our research team has strong support, technical expertise, and resources (e.g., vaccines) from the Zambian Ministry of Health; and political will for scale-up. This stakeholder-based implementation model has the potential to be transported to HIV clinics across Zambia and serve as a model to address cancer prevention priorities for those with HIV in other LMICs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

To be registered prior to Aim 3, when implementation strategies finalized.

Acceptability of an integrated school-based HPV vaccination program within two districts of Tanzania: A qualitative descriptive study

Tanzania has one of the highest cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. The Tanzanian Ministry of Health developed an integrated adolescent health program, HPV-Plus, that combines HPV vaccination with additional health services: nutritional assessments, vision screening, and vaccination for adolescent girls, and education for all genders. This qualitative descriptive study evaluated the acceptability of the HPV-Plus program in two districts in Tanzania. Key informants comprising of adolescent girls, parents, program planners, and program implementers in Njombe and Dar es Salaam Tanzania were interviewed to assess the program acceptability. Transcripts were analyzed using a team-based iterative thematic analysis approach, consisting of both inductive and deductive coding. The Theoretical Framework of Acceptability was used to guide analysis, with themes categorized according to theoretical constructs of intervention coherence, affective attitudes and perceptions, and perceived effectiveness. Overall acceptability of the HPV-Plus program was high among stakeholders. The most salient finding regarding factors that influenced HPV vaccine acceptability was largely related to education and knowledge levels surrounding the HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccines. The educational component of the HPV-Plus program was key in increasing acceptability. Parents reported the lowest acceptability towards the program. This was found to be primarily due to perceptions of not being sufficiently engaged throughout program implementation. Increasing acceptability of HPV vaccination programs among key stakeholders is critical to facilitating vaccine uptake and meeting vaccination coverage targets. Our results demonstrate that the inclusion of a comprehensive education component within the HPV-Plus program was key in facilitating HPV vaccine acceptability amongst stakeholders.

Environmental factors associated with human papillomavirus vaccine coverage in adolescents: 2016-2020 analysis

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the association between the factors of the social environment and the coverage rates of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in adolescents, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

METHOD

this is an epidemiological, ecological study, with panel and trend analysis from 2016 to 2020. The population consisted of adolescents aged 9 to 13 years. The environmental variables were coverage rates, the municipal index of human development, income, education, and longevity; and the rate of violence. The Prais-Winsten autoregression and the panel regression model were used, in addition to the estimate of the mean annual percentage variation.

RESULTS

the vaccination coverage rates are below the goals recommended by the Ministry of Health for all regions analyzed. Moreover, these rates are associated with factors related to the application of the first dose and to aspects inherent to the social environment, such as the rate of violence.

CONCLUSION

our findings showed that, although tenuous, aspects of the environment, in addition to individual characteristics, provide relevant information to understand the occurrence of health outcomes, since this vaccination campaign presents a strong influence of the environment and age as factors associated with the low rates.

HIGHLIGHTS

(1) The coverage of human papillomavirus vaccination is below the target in Minas Gerais.(2) The rates are associated with aspects inherent to the social environment, such as violence.(3) The environment provides relevant information for understanding health outcomes.

Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy for Future COVID-19 and HIV Vaccines: Lessons from Measles and HPV Vaccines

BACKGROUND

The discovery of vaccines significantly reduced morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases and led to the elimination and eradication of some. Development of safe and effective vaccines is a critical step to the control of infectious diseases; however, there is the need to address vaccine hesitancy because of its potential impact on vaccine uptake.

METHODS

We conducted a narrative review of studies on interventions to address measles and human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy. We discussed how lessons learned from these studies could be applied towards COVID-19 and future human immunodeficiency virus vaccines.

RESULTS

We found that there are several successful approaches to improving vaccine acceptance. Interventions should be context specific and build on the challenges highlighted in various settings.

CONCLUSION

Strategies could be used alone or in combination with others. The most successful interventions directly targeted the population for vaccination. Use of financial incentives could be a potential tool to improve vaccine uptake.

Implementation research on noncommunicable disease prevention and control interventions in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

While the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of most noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and treatment interventions is well established, care delivery models and means of scaling these up in a variety of resource-constrained health systems are not. The objective of this review was to synthesize evidence on the current state of implementation research on priority NCD prevention and control interventions provided by health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS AND FINDINGS

On January 20, 2021, we searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 1990 through 2020 to identify implementation research studies that focused on the World Health Organization (WHO) priority NCD prevention and control interventions targeting cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease and provided within health systems in LMICs. Any empirical and peer-reviewed studies that focused on these interventions and reported implementation outcomes were eligible for inclusion. Given the focus on this review and the heterogeneity in aims and methodologies of included studies, risk of bias assessment to understand how effect size may have been compromised by bias is not applicable. We instead commented on the distribution of research designs and discussed about stronger/weaker designs. We synthesized extracted data using descriptive statistics and following the review protocol registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021252969). Of 9,683 potential studies and 7,419 unique records screened for inclusion, 222 eligible studies evaluated 265 priority NCD prevention and control interventions implemented in 62 countries (6% in low-income countries and 90% in middle-income countries). The number of studies published has been increasing over time. Nearly 40% of all the studies were on cervical cancer. With regards to intervention type, screening accounted for 49%, treatment for 39%, while prevention for 12% (with 80% of the latter focusing on prevention of the NCD behavior risk factors). Feasibility (38%) was the most studied implementation outcome followed by adoption (23%); few studies addressed sustainability. The implementation strategies were not specified well enough. Most studies used quantitative methods (86%). The weakest study design, preexperimental, and the strongest study design, experimental, were respectively employed in 25% and 24% of included studies. Approximately 72% of studies reported funding, with international funding being the predominant source. The majority of studies were proof of concept or pilot (88%) and targeted the micro level of health system (79%). Less than 5% of studies report using implementation research framework.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite growth in implementation research on NCDs in LMICs, we found major gaps in the science. Future studies should prioritize implementation at scale, target higher levels health systems (meso and macro levels), and test sustainability of NCD programs. They should employ designs with stronger internal validity, be more conceptually driven, and use mixed methods to understand mechanisms. To maximize impact of the research under limited resources, adding implementation science outcomes to effectiveness research and regional collaborations are promising.

Reasons given for non-vaccination and under-vaccination of children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review

To achieve the full benefits of vaccination, it is key to understand the underlying causes of low vaccination by researching the barriers to vaccination at a local level. This systematic literature review aims to identify the reasons given by community members for the non-vaccination and under-vaccination of children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, African Index Medicus, and African Journals Online databases were searched to identify articles published between 2010 and 2020. A total of 37 articles were included. As 17 studies did not report the reasons for non-vaccination and under-vaccination separately, we considered these two outcomes as “incomplete vaccination”. The most common reasons for incomplete vaccination were related to caregiver’s time constraints, lack of knowledge regarding vaccination, the unavailability of vaccines/personnel in healthcare facilities, missed opportunities for vaccination, caregiver’s fear of minor side effects, poor access to vaccination services, and caregiver’s vaccination beliefs.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine introduction in Sikkim state: Best practices from the first statewide multiple-age cohort HPV vaccine introduction in India-2018-2019

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality among women in India, with 96,922 new cases and 60,078 deaths each year, almost one-fifth of the global burden. In 2018, Sikkim state in India introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for 9-13-year-old girls, primarily through school-based vaccination, targeting approximately 25,000 girls. We documented the program's decision-making and implementation processes.

METHODS

We conducted a post-introduction evaluation in 2019, concurrent with the second dose campaign, by interviewing key stakeholders (state, district, and local level), reviewing planning documents, and observing cold chain sites in two purposefully-sampled community areas in each of the four districts of Sikkim. Using standard questionnaires, we interviewed health and education officials, school personnel, health workers, community leaders, and age-eligible girls on program decision-making, planning, training, vaccine delivery, logistics, and communication.

RESULTS

We conducted 279 interviews and 29 observations in eight community areas across four districts of Sikkim. Based on reported administrative data, Sikkim achieved >95% HPV vaccination coverage among targeted girls for both doses via two campaigns; no severe adverse events were reported. HPV vaccination was well accepted by all stakeholders; minimal refusal was reported. Factors identified for successful vaccine introduction included strong political commitment, statewide mandatory school enrollment, collaboration between health and education departments at all levels, and robust social mobilization strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Sikkim successfully introduced the HPV vaccine to multiple-age cohorts of girls via school-based vaccination, demonstrating a model that could be replicated in other regions in India or similar low- and middle-income country settings.

Nationwide introduction of HPV vaccine in Zimbabwe 2018-2019: Experiences with multiple cohort vaccination delivery

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls aged 9-14 years for cervical cancer prevention and encourages vaccinating multiple cohorts in the first year to maximize impact. The HPV vaccine was introduced nationwide in Zimbabwe in 2018 through a 1-week school-based campaign to multiple cohorts (all girls 10-14 years old), followed by a single cohort (grade 5 girls in school and age 10 girls out-of-school) in 2019. During the 2019 campaign, the multiple cohort's second dose was concurrently delivered with the single cohort's first dose. We interviewed national-level key informants, reviewed written materials, and observed vaccination sessions to document HPV vaccine introduction in Zimbabwe and identify best practices and challenges. Key informants included focal persons from government health and education ministries, in-country immunization partners, and HPV Vaccine Strategic Advisory Group members. We conducted a desk review of policy/strategy documents, introduction plans, readiness reports, presentations, and implementation tools. Vaccination sessions were observed in three provinces during the 2019 campaign. Key informants (n = 8) identified high cervical cancer burden, political will, vaccine availability, donor financing, and a successful pilot program as factors driving the decision to introduce the HPV vaccine nationally. The school-based delivery strategy was well accepted, with strong collaboration between health and education sectors and high community demand for vaccine identified as key contributors to this success. Challenges with transitioning from a multiple age-based to single grade- and age-based target population as well as funding shortages for operational costs were reported. Zimbabwe's first multiple cohort, school-based HPV vaccination campaign was considered successful-primarily due to strong collaboration between health and education sectors and political commitment; however, challenges vaccinating overlapping cohorts in the 2019 campaign were observed. Integration with existing health and vaccination activities and continued resource mobilization will ensure sustainability of Zimbabwe's HPV vaccination program in the future.

Factores ambientales asociados con la cobertura de la vacuna contra el virus del papiloma humano en adolescentes: análisis de 2016 a 2020

Resumen Objetivo: analizar la asociación entre los factores del entorno social y las tasas de cobertura de la vacuna contra el virus del papiloma humano (VPH) en los adolescentes del estado de Minas Gerais. Método: estudio epidemiológico, ecológico, con análisis de panel y de tendencia, en el período de 2016 a 2020. La población estaba compuesta por adolescentes de 9 a 13 años. Las variables ambientales fueron las tasas de cobertura; el índice de desarrollo humano municipal, la renta, la educación y la longevidad, y la tasa de violencia. Se utilizó el modelo autorregresivo de Prais-Winsten, el cálculo de la variación porcentual media anual y la regresión en panel. Resultados: las tasas de cobertura de la vacuna en todas las regiones analizadas están por debajo de los objetivos recomendados por el Ministerio de Salud. Además, estas tasas están asociadas a los factores relacionados con la aplicación de la primera dosis y a aspectos inherentes al entorno social, como la tasa de violencia. Conclusión: las evidencias encontradas demostraron que, aunque tenues, aspectos del entorno, además de las características individuales, proporcionan informaciones relevantes para comprensión de la ocurrencia de los resultados de salud, una vez que para esa vacuna tenemos la fuerte influencia del entorno y de la edad como factores asociados a la baja tasa de vacunación.

Fatores ambientais associados à cobertura da vacina contra o papilomavírus humano em adolescentes: análise de 2016 a 2020

Resumo Objetivo: analisar a associação entre os fatores do ambiente social e as taxas de cobertura da vacina contra o papilomavírus humano (HPV) nos adolescentes do estado de Minas Gerais. Método: estudo epidemiológico, ecológico, com análise em painel e de tendência, no período de 2016 a 2020. A população foi composta por adolescentes de 9 a 13 anos. As variáveis ambientais foram as taxas de cobertura; o índice de desenvolvimento humano municipal, de renda, de educação e de longevidade; e a taxa de violência. Utilizou-se o modelo autorregressivo de Prais-Winsten, o cálculo da variação percentual média anual e a regressão em painel. Resultados: as taxas de cobertura da vacina em todas as regiões analisadas estão abaixo das metas preconizadas pelo Ministério da Saúde. Ademais, tais taxas estão associadas aos fatores relacionados à aplicação da primeira dose e a aspectos inerentes ao ambiente social, como a taxa de violência. Conclusão: as evidências encontradas demonstraram que, embora tênues, aspectos do ambiente, além das características individuais, fornecem informações relevantes para compreensão da ocorrência dos desfechos de saúde, uma vez que para essa vacina temos a forte influência do ambiente e da idade como fatores associados à baixa taxa de vacinação.

Feasibility and acceptability of nationwide HPV vaccine introduction in Senegal: Findings from community-level cross-sectional surveys, 2020

In Senegal, cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from all cancers. In 2018, Senegal launched a national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), support. HPV vaccination was incorporated into the national immunization program as a two-dose schedule, with a 6-12-month interval, to nine-year-old girls via routine immunization (RI) services at health facilities, schools and community outreach services throughout the year. During February to March 2020, we conducted interviews to assess the awareness, feasibility, and acceptability of the HPV vaccination program with a cross-sectional convenience sample of healthcare workers (HCWs), school personnel, community healthcare workers (cHCWs), parents, and community leaders from 77 rural and urban health facility catchment areas. Participants were asked questions on HPV vaccine knowledge, delivery, training, and community acceptability of the program. We conducted a descriptive analysis stratified by respondent type. Data were collected from 465 individuals: 77 HCW, 78 school personnel, 78 cHCWs, 152 parents, and community leaders. The majority of HCWs (83.1%) and cHCWs (74.4%) and school personnel (57.7%) attended a training on HPV vaccine before program launch. Of all respondents, most (52.5-87.2%) were able to correctly identify the target population. The majority of respondents (60.2-77.5%) felt that the vaccine was very accepted or accepted in the community. Senegal's HPV vaccine introduction program, among the first national programs in the African region, was accepted by community stakeholders. Training rates were high, and most respondents identified the target population correctly. However, continued technical support is needed for the integration of HPV vaccination as a RI activity for this non-traditional age group. The Senegal experience can be a useful resource for countries planning to introduce the HPV vaccine.

Parents' attitudes, beliefs and uptake of the school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in Jakarta, Indonesia - A quantitative study

The Indonesian government has provided free HPV vaccines for female students in years 5–6 in Jakarta since 2016. We examined parents’ beliefs, attitudes and intentions to allow their daughters to receive the HPV vaccine, as well as the uptake of the vaccine. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November 2019 in Jakarta. We invited 680 parents or guardians of year 6 female students from 33 primary schools who were offered the free HPV vaccine to complete a questionnaire; 484 (71%) responded. Analysis was done in two groups: the ‘Decided’ Group (those parents who allowed or denied for their daughter to receive the HPV vaccination), and the ‘Undecided’ Group (those parents who did not recall being approached about the HPV vaccine or forgot their response). In the ‘Decided’ group, 295 (83.6%) parents allowed their daughters to receive the vaccination, while 58 (16.4%) parents refused it. In the ‘Undecided’ group, 49 (70%) parents reported a strong intention to allow their daughters to receive the vaccination; 21 (30%) had weak intention. Attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were shown to be significant predictors of HPV vaccine uptake when multilevel multivariate logistic regression analysis was undertaken. On the contrary, no independent variable was seen as a significant predictor for parents’ intentions to vaccinate their daughter against HPV. No sociodemographic characteristic was significantly associated with parents’ decisions or intentions regarding HPV vaccine for their daughters. Further qualitative research is needed to explore parents’ knowledge and reasons behind their decision-making processes.

Integrating HPV vaccination programs with enhanced cervical cancer screening and treatment, a systematic review

A WHO global strategy launched in November 2020 sets out an ambitious pathway towards the worldwide elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem within the next 100 years. Achieving this goal will require investment in innovative approaches. This review aims to describe integrated approaches that combine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), and their efficacy in increasing uptake of services. A systematic review was conducted analyzing relevant papers from Embase, Medline, CINAHL and CAB Global Health databases, as well as grey literature. Narrative synthesis was performed on the included studies. Meta-analysis was not appropriate due to the heterogeneity and nature of included studies. From 5,278 titles screened, 11 uncontrolled intervention studies from four countries (from Africa and east Asia) were included, all from the past 12 years. Four distinct typologies of integration emerged that either increased awareness of HPV and/or cervical cancer screening, and/or coupled the delivery of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening programs. The synthesis of findings suggests that existing HPV vaccination programs can be a useful pathway for educating mothers and other female caregivers about cervical cancer screening; through in person conversations with care providers (preferred) or take-home communications products. Integrated service delivery through outreach and mobile clinics may overcome geographic and economic barriers to access for both HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening, however these require significant program and system resources. One study promoted HPV vaccination as part of integrated service delivery, but there were no other examples found that examined use of cervical cancer screening platforms to promote or educate on HPV vaccination. This review has demonstrated gaps in published literature on attempts to integrate HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening. The most promising practices to date seem to relate to integrated health communications for cervical cancer prevention. Future research should further explore the opportunities for integrated health communications to support the efforts towards the new global cervical cancer elimination agenda, and costs and feasibility of integrated service delivery for underserved populations.

A Review of the Implementation Status of and National Plans on HPV Vaccination in 17 Middle-Income Countries of the WHO Western Pacific Region

The World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Region is responsible for one-fourth of the global cervical cancer burden, and nearly 90% of that burden is concentrated in middle-income countries (MICs). Applying a conceptual model of implementation of population-based interventions, we synthesized the current implementation status of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and national plans that form the basis of its implementation in 17 MICs. We gathered information from a range of governmental documents, published studies, and global databases. For all available national cancer-related plans and immunization plans, we examined the description of HPV vaccination. We found that, as of July 2021, only four countries (24%) had a mature HPV vaccination program with a high first-dose coverage; three (18%) had introduced HPV vaccination, but needed further efforts to scale it up, seven (41%) had not been able to introduce it after conducting demonstration projects, and three (18%) did not have any experience in HPV vaccination. In the national plans, most of the countries recognized the importance of HPV vaccination, but only 10 (59%) provided an implementation strategy on how it would be introduced or scaled up. Countries with a mature program were more likely to have their implementation strategy detailed in their national cancer control plan. Successful implementation of HPV vaccination requires overcoming known challenges and having a clear national plan. Positioning HPV vaccination clearly in the overall national cancer control plan may be key to accelerating its nationwide implementation.

'Learn from the lessons and don't forget them': identifying transferable lessons for COVID-19 from meningitis A, yellow fever and Ebola virus disease vaccination campaigns

INTRODUCTION

COVID-19 vaccines are now being distributed to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with global urgency surrounding national vaccination plans. LMICs have significant experience implementing vaccination campaigns to respond to epidemic threats but are often hindered by chronic health system challenges. We sought to identify transferable lessons for COVID-19 vaccination from the rollout of three vaccines that targeted adult groups in Africa and South America: MenAfriVac (meningitis A); 17D (yellow fever) and rVSV-ZEBOV (Ebola virus disease).

METHODS

We conducted a rapid literature review and 24 semi-structured interviews with technical experts who had direct implementation experience with the selected vaccines in Africa and South America. We identified barriers, enablers, and key lessons from the literature and from participants' experiences. Interview data were analysed thematically according to seven implementation domains.

RESULTS

Participants highlighted multiple components of vaccination campaigns that are instrumental for achieving high coverage. Community engagement is an essential and effective tool, requiring dedicated time, funding and workforce. Involving local health workers is a key enabler, as is collaborating with community leaders to map social groups and tailor vaccination strategies to their needs. Vaccination team recruitment and training strategies need to be enhanced to support vaccination campaigns. Although recognised as challenging, integrating vaccination campaigns with other routine health services can be highly beneficial if well planned and coordinated across health programmes and with communities.

CONCLUSION

As supplies of COVID-19 vaccines become available to LMICs, countries need to prepare to efficiently roll out the vaccine, encourage uptake among eligible groups and respond to potential community concerns. Lessons from the implementation of these three vaccines that targeted adults in LMICs can be used to inform best practice for COVID-19 and other epidemic vaccination campaigns.

[Factors associated with scale-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in Senegal: a case-control survey of parents]

Introduction

après une phase pilote, le Sénégal est le premier pays en Afrique de l´Ouest à introduire le vaccin contre le cancer du col de l´utérus dans le Programme élargi de vaccination. Malgré la gratuité et la disponibilité du vaccin, la couverture est restée faible. L´objectif de cette étude était d´identifier les facteurs associés à la vaccination des filles contre le virus du papillome humain.

Méthodes

il s´agissait d´une étude analytique de type cas-témoin réalisée du 4 au 20 janvier 2020 à Dakar. La population d´étude était constituée de parents ou tuteurs de filles âgées de 9 à 10 ans. Nous avons réalisé un échantillonnage en grappes, des entretiens structurés directs et une revue documentaire. Les caractéristiques sociodémographiques, les connaissances des parents/tuteurs et les informations sur l´acte vaccinal ont été collectées à l´aide d´un questionnaire standardisé. Une régression logistique a permis d´estimer les odds-ratio.

Résultats

au cours de cette étude, 510 cas et 510 témoins, soient 1020 parents/tuteurs étaient interviewés. Les facteurs significatifs associés à la vaccination des filles étaient: l´instruction des parents/tuteurs (ORa=1,97; [1,81-2,25]), la connaissance de la maladie (ORa=3,05; [2,75-4,53], le revenu élevé du ménage (ORa=1,21; [1,13-1,85]), la crainte des effets secondaires (ORa=0,35; [0,27-0,44]), la réception de messages via internet/réseaux sociaux (ORa=0,54; [0,41-0,92]) et les horaires de vaccination adaptées à la communauté (ORa= 2,12 [1,59-2,64]).

Conclusion

la vaccination des filles peut être améliorée par un renforcement des connaissances des parents à travers des canaux appropriés et une meilleure organisation des services de santé.

Clinical Trial Access in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Case Study on India

The global burden of cancer is estimated to be more than 20 million cases by 2030, the majority occurring in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). LMICs account for 64% of global cancer deaths and 80% of disability-adjusted-life-years lost. Despite this, only 5% of the global cancer resources are spent in LMICs causing a high mortality-to-income ratio. Despite the burgeoning number of clinical trials in the HICs, there are several reasons to conduct clinical trials in LMICs. In this commentary, we discuss the problem of access to clinical trials in LMICs using India as a case study.

HPV vaccination coverage in three districts in ZIMBABWE following national introduction of 0,12 month schedule among 10 to 14 year old girls

BACKGROUND

Zimbabwe has one of the highest incidence rates of cervical cancer in the world - 61.7 per 100,000 women. The government of Zimbabwe introduced bivalent HPV vaccine with a 0,12 month schedule to all 10-14 year old girls using a pulsed-campaign approach in May 2018 (dose 1) and May 2019 (dose 2).

METHODS

In August 2019, we conducted a population-based, two-stage cluster survey of households with girls who were eligible for the national HPV vaccination program to determine two-dose HPV vaccination coverage in three districts of Zimbabwe. All households with girls currently aged 11 to 15 years were line-listed through a census conducted in the pre-selected clusters from each district prior to survey administration. A simple random sample of eligible households was selected from these lists to estimate HPV vaccine coverage at sufficient power with a margin of error of +/- 5%. Criteria for district selection included estimated vaccine uptake (low, medium, high), rural/urban/peri-urban, geographic area, estimated number of girls not in school, and recent natural disasters or disease outbreaks. We oversampled households with girls aged 13 or 14 years at the time of dose 1.

RESULTS

On-time dose 1 uptake ranged from 88 to 94% and two-dose HPV vaccine coverage ranged from 75 to 86% across the three districts. Nearly all vaccinations occurred in schools, and less than 2% of girls did not attend school. There were challenges assessing ages of girls at schools prior to vaccination - 9% of girls vaccinated were less than 10 years old at time of dose 1.

DISCUSSION

Zimbabwe has demonstrated that high uptake and successful completion of 2-dose HPV vaccination can be achieved with an annual dosing schedule. Efforts going forward will need to focus on minimizing dropout between doses and routinizing annual vaccinations in schools for every subsequent new cohort of eligible girls in the country.

Tanzania's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program: Community awareness, feasibility, and acceptability of a national HPV vaccination program, 2019

BACKGROUND

In April 2018, Tanzania introduced the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationally to 14-year-old girls, utilizing routine delivery strategies (i.e. vaccinating girls at health facilities and community outreach, including schools). We sought to assess awareness, feasibility, and acceptability of the HPV vaccination program among health workers and community-level stakeholders.

METHODS

We conducted cross-sectional in-person surveys among health workers, school personnel, community leaders, and council leaders in 18 council areas across six regions of Tanzania in October-November 2019. Regions were purposively selected to provide demographic, geographic, and vaccination coverage variability; sub-regional levels used random or stratified random sampling. Surveys included questions on HPV vaccine training and knowledge, delivery strategy, target population, and vaccine and program acceptability. Descriptive analysis was completed for all variables stratified by respondent groups.

RESULTS

Across the 18 councils, there were 461 respondents, including health workers (165), school personnel (135), community leaders (143), and council leaders (18). Over half of each respondent group (50-78%) attended a training or orientation on HPV vaccine. Almost 75% of the health workers and school personnel respondent groups, and less than half (45%) of community leaders correctly identified the target age group for HPV vaccine. Most (80%) of the health workers indicated HPV vaccination was available at health facilities and schools; most (79%) indicated that the majority of girls receive HPV vaccine in school. Approximately half (52%) of all respondents reported hearing misinformation about HPV vaccine, but 97% of all respondents indicated that HPV vaccine was either "very accepted" or "somewhat accepted" in their community.

CONCLUSION

The HPV vaccination program in Tanzania was well accepted by community stakeholders in 18 councils; adequate knowledge of HPV vaccine and the HPV vaccination program was demonstrated by health workers and school personnel. However, continued technical support for integration of HPV vaccination as a routine immunization activity and reinforcement of basic knowledge about HPV vaccine in specific community groups is needed. The Tanzania experience provides an example of how this vaccine can be integrated into routine immunization delivery strategies and can be a useful resource for countries planning to introduce HPV vaccine as well as informing global partners on how to best support to countries in operationalizing their HPV vaccine introduction plans.

Why don't adolescent girls in a rural Uganda district initiate or complete routine 2-dose HPV vaccine series: Perspectives of adolescent girls, their caregivers, healthcare workers, community health workers and teachers

INTRODUCTION

Vaccination with the 2-dose HPV vaccine series among adolescent girls in Uganda remains low after almost 5 years since the vaccine was included into the routine national immunization program and barriers are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

We explored barriers that prevent eligible girls from initiating or completing the recommended 2-dose HPV vaccine series in Oyam District, Northern Uganda.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted in Oyam District, Northern Uganda. Forty interviews were conducted with adolescent girls, their caregivers, Village Health Team Members, health workers and school administrators involved in HPV vaccination. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. NVivo version 11 was used for data management and content thematic approach for analysis guided by the Social Ecological Model.

RESULTS

At individual level, low levels of knowledge about the vaccine, girls' frequent mobility between vaccine doses, school absenteeism and drop out, fear of injection pain and discouragement from caregivers or peers were key barriers. At the health facilities level, reported barriers included: few healthcare workers, inadequate knowledge about HPV vaccine, limited social mobilization and community engagement to promote the vaccine, limited availability of the HPV vaccine, unreliable transportation, lack of reminder strategies after the first dose of the vaccine, lack of vaccination strategy for out-of-school girls and un-friendly behaviour of some healthcare workers. Concerns about safety and efficacy of the vaccine, negative religious and cultural beliefs against vaccination, rumors and misconceptions about the vaccine, mistrust in government intentions to introduce the new vaccine targeting girls, busy schedules and the gendered nature of care work were key community level barriers.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed an interplay of barriers at individual, health facility and community levels, which prevent initiation and completion of HPV vaccination among adolescent girls. Strengthening HIV vaccination programs and ensuring high uptake requires providing appropriate information to the girls plus the community, school and health facility stakeholders; addressing cold chain challenges as well as adequate training of vaccinators to enable them respond to rumors about HPV vaccination.

Does the number of doses matter? A qualitative study of HPV vaccination acceptability nested in a dose reduction trial in Tanzania

Background

The multi-dose regimen is a known barrier to successful human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Emerging evidence suggests that one vaccine dose could protect against HPV. While there are clear advantages to a single dose schedule, beliefs about vaccine dosage in low and middle income countries (LMICs) are poorly understood. We investigated acceptability of dose-reduction among girls, and parents/guardians of girls, randomised to receive one, two or three doses in an HPV vaccine dose-reduction and immunobridging study (DoRIS trial) in Tanzania.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews with girls (n = 19), and parents/guardians of girls (n = 18), enrolled in the study and completing their vaccine course.

Results

Most participants said they entrusted decisions about the number of HPV vaccine doses to experts. Random allocation to the different dose groups did not feature highly in the decision to participate in the trial. Given a hypothetical choice, girls generally said they would prefer fewer doses in order to avoid the pain of injections. Parental views were mixed, with most wanting whichever dose was most efficacious. Nonetheless, a few parents equated a higher number of doses with greater protection.

Conclusion

Vaccine trials and programmes will need to employ careful messaging to explain that one dose offers sufficient protection against HPV should emerging evidence from ongoing dose-reduction clinical trials support this.

•

We interviewed girls, and parents/carers of girls, enrolled in an HPV Vaccine dose reduction trial.

•

We found that enrolling in the trial in the context of community rumours required trust in the trial scientists.

•

Scientists were trusted to decide on dosage; thus randomisation by dosage was not an acceptability issue.

•

Girls preferred fewer vaccine doses in order to avoid injection-related pain.

•

Parents/guardians generally wanted whichever dose regimen was most efficacious.

National introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in Tanzania: Programmatic decision-making and implementation

Background:

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women in Tanzania, with approximately 10,000 new cases and 7,000 deaths annually. In April 2018, the Government of Tanzania introduced 2 doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationally to adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer, following a successful 2-year pilot introduction of the vaccine in the Kilimanjaro Region.

Methods:

We interviewed key informants at the national level in Tanzania from February to November 2019, using a semi-structured tool to better understand national decision-making and program implementation. We conducted a comprehensive desk review of HPV vaccine introduction materials and reviewed administrative coverage data.

Results:

Ten key informants were interviewed from the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children, the World Health Organization, and other partners, and HPV vaccine planning documents and administrative coverage data were reviewed during the desk review. Tanzania introduced HPV vaccine to a single-age cohort of 14-year-old girls, with the decision-making process involving the Tanzania Immunization Technical Advisory Group and the national Interagency Coordination Committee. HPV vaccine was integrated into the routine immunization delivery strategy, available at health facilities and through outreach services at community sites, community mobile sites (>10 km from the health facility), and primary and secondary schools. Pre-introduction activities included trainings and microplanning workshops for health workers and school personnel at the national, regional, council, and health facility levels. Over 6,000 health workers and 22,000 school personnel were trained nationwide. Stakeholder and primary health care committee meetings were also conducted at the national level and in each of the regions as part of the advocacy and communication strategy. Administrative coverage of the first dose of HPV vaccine at the end of 2019 was 78%, and second dose coverage was 49%. No adverse events following HPV vaccination were reported to the national level.

Discussion:

Tanzania successfully introduced HPV vaccine nationally targeting 14-year-old girls, using routine delivery strategies. Continued monitoring of vaccination coverage will be important to ensure full 2-dose vaccination of eligible girls. Tanzania can consider periodic intensified vaccination and targeted social mobilization efforts, as needed.

Human papillomavirus vaccination uptake in low-and middle-income countries: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The proportion of incident cases of HPV-attributable cancers is highest in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) but many are yet to initiate HPV vaccination programs. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the uptake of HPV vaccination in LMICs at the beginning of the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer and describes the gaps and challenges.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases for observational studies that reported the uptake of HPV vaccination until October 2020. The meta-analysis was done using a random-effects model to assess the pooled estimate of HPV uptake. CRD42021218429.

FINDINGS

During 2008-2020, an estimated 3.3 million females received at least one dose of HPV vaccine with 61.69% of the target population vaccinated. In countries with high uptake, the pooled estimate of uptake was higher in females than males (45.48% vs 8.45%) and showed significant decline in 2015-2020 compared to 2006-2014 (89.03% vs 41.48%). In countries with low uptake, the estimate of uptake was low in both males and females (5.31% vs 2.93%) and showed increase in uptake in 2015-2020 compared to 2006-2014 (0.76% vs 5.22%). In countries with high uptake, compared to routine programs, the estimate was higher when delivered through demonstration programs (89.94% vs 59.74%).

INTERPRETATION

The major concern was a significant drop in the uptake in countries that started with high uptake, challenges in the maintenance of vaccine uptake, sustainability of funding and the lack of standard monitoring and reporting.

Parents' knowledge, beliefs, acceptance and uptake of the HPV vaccine in members of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy affecting females in Southeast Asia. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been available since 2006. Several Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries have since introduced and/or piloted the HPV vaccine with adolescent females. This systematic review was conducted to understand what factors influence parents' acceptance of the HPV vaccine in the region.

METHODS

Seven databases were searched for qualitative and quantitative studies published up to 16 April 2020. Papers were included if they were peer-reviewed, in English, available in full text, and had a focus on parents' knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and acceptance of the HPV vaccine. Findings were integrated to answer the review question using framework analysis based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

RESULTS

Sixteen publications were included and synthesised under the Theory of Planned Behaviour domains: 1) Knowledge, attitudes and acceptance, 2) subjective norms, and 3) perceived behavioural control. Parents' attitudes to HPV vaccination were positive and acceptance to vaccinate their daughters against HPV was high. The uptake was high when the vaccine was offered for free.

CONCLUSION

Parents' acceptance and uptake of the HPV vaccine in ASEAN member-countries was high when the vaccine was offered for free even though their knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV was poor. Further research is needed to see how uptake and acceptance can be maintain when the vaccine is not offered for free.

Acting on the call: A framework for action for rapid acceleration of access to the HPV vaccination in low- and lower-middle-income countries

Cervical cancer, caused by HPV infection, is responsible for more than 311  000 preventable deaths every year. A global call to accelerate efforts to eliminate this disease has generated a new global strategy proposing ambitious, but achievable, targets for HPV vaccination of girls, and screening and treatment of women. The present paper addresses the suboptimal access to HPV vaccination in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LICs/LMICs), where the burden of disease weighs most heavily, in part through co-infection with HIV. A proposed framework for action was formulated by first reviewing the reasons underlying gaps in HPV vaccine coverage. Good practices from recent introductions of HPV vaccine at scale in LICs/LMICs were then assessed based on targeted literature reviews and the experience and views of the authors. Difficulties in uptake and coverage of the HPV vaccine relate to the costs of the vaccine and service delivery, lack of prioritization, the challenges of vaccinating adolescents, and shortage of vaccines as the supply failed to keep pace with the rapid expansion in global demand, including from LICs/LMICs. The framework for action calls for new strategic thinking to consolidate global learning and invigorate operationalization at a country level.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination After COVID-19

The current global novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic threatens to derail the uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in low- and lower-middle income countries with major disruptions to routine immunization and the introduction of new vaccines delayed. This has a major impact on the World Health Organization cervical cancer elimination strategy, where it is dependent on HPV vaccination as well as cervical cancer screening and treatment. We discuss current opportunities and barriers to achieve high uptake of HPV vaccination in low- and lower-middle income countries as well as the impact of COVID-19. Implementation of 4 key recommendations for HPV vaccination in low- and lower-middle income countries is needed: increased global financial investment; improved vaccine supply and accelerated use of a single-dose schedule; education and social marketing; and adoption of universal school-based delivery. With the commitment of the global health community, the adoption of these strategies would underpin the effective elimination of cervical cancer.

National implementation of HPV vaccination programs in low-resource countries: Lessons, challenges, and future prospects

More than 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which have limited capacity to mount the comprehensive national screening and precancer treatment programs that could prevent most of these deaths. The development of vaccines against the human papillomavirus (HPV) has dramatically altered the landscape of cervical cancer prevention. As of mid-2020, 56 LMICs (41% of all LMICs) have initiated national HPV vaccination programs. This paper reviews the experience of LMICs that have introduced HPV vaccine into their national programs, key lessons learned, HPV vaccination sustainability and scale-up challenges, and future mitigation measures. As international guidance evolved and countries accumulated experience, strategies for national introduction shifted with regard to target groups, delivery site and timing, preparation and planning, communications and social mobilization, and ultimately monitoring, supervision and evaluation. Despite the successes that LMICs have been able to achieve in reaching large proportions of eligible girls, there are still considerable challenges countries encounter in overcoming rumors, reaching out-of-school girls, completing the vaccine series, estimating target populations, monitoring program performance, and assuring vaccination sustainability. New opportunities, such as the entry of additional vaccine manufacturers and ongoing studies to evaluate one-dose delivery, could help overcome the outstanding barriers to higher coverage and financial sustainability. Effective use of the experience to date and advances on the horizon could enable all LMICs to move towards the coverage levels that are needed to achieve eventual elimination.

Health systems constraints and facilitators of human papillomavirus immunization programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

Given the vast investments made in national immunization programmes (NIPs) and the significance of NIPs to public health, it is important to understand what influences the optimal performance of NIPs. It has been established that well-performing NIPs require enabling health systems. However, systematic evidence on how the performance of health systems impacts on NIPs is lacking, especially from sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a qualitative systematic review to synthesize the available evidence on health systems constraints and facilitators of NIPs in sub-Saharan Africa, using human papillomavirus immunization programmes as a proxy. Fifty-four articles published between 2008 and 2018 were found to be eligible. Data extraction was guided by an analytical model on the interface between NIPs and health systems. A cross-cutting thematic analysis of the extracted data was performed. This systematic review provides evidence necessary for informing ongoing health systems strengthening initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. There is evidence to suggest that NIPs in sub-Saharan Africa have surmounted significant health systems constraints and have achieved notable public health success. This success can be attributed to strong political endorsement for vaccines, clear governance structures and effective collaboration with global partners. Despite this, significant health systems constraints persist in service delivery, vaccine communication, community engagement, the capacity of the health workforce and sustainable financing. These constraints could derail further progress if not addressed through health systems strengthening efforts. There is a need to expand the research agenda to include the comprehensive evaluation of health systems constraints and facilitators of NIPs within sub-Saharan Africa.

Non-communicable diseases among adolescents: current status, determinants, interventions and policies

BACKGROUND

Addressing non-communicable disease (NCDs) is a global priority in the Sustainable Development Goals, especially for adolescents. However, existing literature on NCD burden, risk factors and determinants, and effective interventions and policies for targeting these diseases in adolescents, is limited. This study develops an evidence-based conceptual framework, and highlights pathways between risk factors and interventions to NCD development during adolescence (ages 10-19 years) and continuing into adulthood. Additionally, the epidemiologic profile of key NCD risk factors and outcomes among adolescents and preventative NCD policies/laws/legislations are examined, and a multivariable analysis is conducted to explore the determinants of NCDs among adolescents and adults.

METHODS

We reviewed literature to develop an adolescent-specific conceptual framework for NCDs. Global data repositories were searched from Jan-July 2018 for data on NCD-related risk factors, outcomes, and policy data for 194 countries from 1990 to 2016. Disability-Adjusted Life Years were used to assess disease burden. A hierarchical modeling approach and ordinary least squares regression was used to explore the basic and underlying causes of NCD burden.

RESULTS

Mental health disorders are the most common NCDs found in adolescents. Adverse behaviours and lifestyle factors, specifically smoking, alcohol and drug use, poor diet and metabolic syndrome, are key risk factors for NCD development in adolescence. Across countries, laws and policies for preventing NCD-related risk factors exist, however those targeting contraceptive use, drug harm reduction, mental health and nutrition are generally limited. Many effective interventions for NCD prevention exist but must be implemented at scale through multisectoral action utilizing diverse delivery mechanisms. Multivariable analyses showed that structural/macro, community and household factors have significant associations with NCD burden among adolescents and adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Multi-sectoral efforts are needed to target NCD risk factors among adolescents to mitigate disease burden and adverse outcomes in adulthood. Findings could guide policy and programming to reduce NCD burden in the sustainable development era.

Burden and Prevention of HPV. Knowledge, Practices and Attitude Assessment Among Pre-Adolescents and their Parents in Italy

Despite infections due to HPV nowadays represent the most common sexually transmitted diseases worldwide with recognized effective and safe preventive strategies, knowledge, attitudes; however, awareness on HPV is considerably low. The present study has two main objectives: 1. To conduct a literature review to analyze the evolution of preventive tools, the complexity of the vaccine choice process, and the challenges posed by HPV vaccine hesitancy and refusal among pre-adolescents and their parents; 2. To assess knowledge, practices and attitudes toward HPV infection and vaccination in a sample of Italian pre-adolescents and their parents. The observational study was carried out through the use of two anonymous and self-administered pre- and post-intervention questionnaires dedicated to the target populations. Between the administrations of the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, an educational intervention on HPV infection and related diseases, and prevention strategies was conducted. All participants demonstrated suboptimal knowledge and positive attitudes in the pre-intervention questionnaire. Higher levels of knowledge and attitudes were observed among pre-adolescents thatused social networks and had heard of sexually transmitted diseases at home/school/physician and from parents and also who had heard of HPV from General Practitioners, Gynecologists, family members and newspapers. A significant increase in HPV vaccination awareness was observed among pre-adolescents after the educational sessions. Health education programs aimed at increasing knowledge, attitudes and awareness on HPV are needed to implement the outcomes of HPV immunization programs, especially if supported by the physicians involved in counselling and recommendation processes.

Parent-Level Barriers and Facilitators to HPV Vaccine Implementation in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the Dominican Republic. Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) could reduce mortality from cervical cancer globally by as much as 90%. The purpose of our study was to explore multi-level barriers and facilitators to implementation of a national HPV vaccine program in the Dominican Republic; this article focuses on parent-level barriers and facilitators. In this qualitative study, we conducted six focus groups (N = 64) with parents of school-age children in the Santo Domingo area of the Dominican Republic, representing diverse socioeconomic groups and geographic settings. Thematic content analysis, using inductive and deductive approaches, was done following transcription and translation of audio-recordings from focus group discussions. Among this group of parents in the Santo Domingo area, facilitators to vaccine uptake were favorable attitudes towards vaccines in general and concern about cervical cancer as a health issue. Barriers found were low to moderate knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer, especially in the rural and suburban groups, and cost and lack of public awareness of the vaccine. This study identified key barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccine implementation in the Dominican Republic. Health messaging, incorporating specialist providers as opinion leaders, will need to be tailored to broad audiences with varying levels of information and awareness, anticipating misinformation and concerns, and will need to emphasize HPV vaccine as a method to prevent cancer.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccines: An Updated Review

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, which were introduced in many countries in the past decade, have shown promising results in decreasing HPV infection and related diseases, such as warts and precancerous lesions. In this review, we present the updated information about current HPV vaccines, focusing on vaccine coverage and efficacy. In addition, pan-gender vaccination and current clinical trials are also discussed. Currently, more efforts should be put into increasing the vaccine’s coverage, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Provision of education on HPV and vaccination is one of the most important methods to achieve this. Vaccines that target HPV types not included in current vaccines are the next stage in vaccine development. In the future, all HPV-related cancers, such as head and neck cancer, and anal cancer, should be tracked and evaluated, especially in countries that have introduced pan-gender vaccination programs. Therapeutic vaccines, in combination with other cancer treatments, should continue to be investigated.

Improving vaccination uptake among adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescent vaccination has received increased attention since the Global Vaccine Action Plan's call to extend the benefits of immunisation more equitably beyond childhood. In recent years, many programmes have been launched to increase the uptake of different vaccines in adolescent populations; however, vaccination coverage among adolescents remains suboptimal. Therefore, understanding and evaluating the various interventions that can be used to improve adolescent vaccination is crucial.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effects of interventions to improve vaccine uptake among adolescents.

SEARCH METHODS

In October 2018, we searched the following databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, and eight other databases. In addition, we searched two clinical trials platforms, electronic databases of grey literature, and reference lists of relevant articles. For related systematic reviews, we searched four databases. Furthermore, in May 2019, we performed a citation search of five other websites.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised trials, non-randomised trials, controlled before-after studies, and interrupted time series studies of adolescents (girls or boys aged 10 to 19 years) eligible for World Health Organization-recommended vaccines and their parents or healthcare providers.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently screened records, reviewed full-text articles to identify potentially eligible studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias, resolving discrepancies by consensus. For each included study, we calculated risk ratios (RR) or mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) where appropriate. We pooled study results using random-effects meta-analyses and assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 16 studies (eight individually randomised trials, four cluster randomised trials, three non-randomised trials, and one controlled before-after study). Twelve studies were conducted in the USA, while there was one study each from: Australia, Sweden, Tanzania, and the UK. Ten studies had unclear or high risk of bias. We categorised interventions as recipient-oriented, provider-oriented, or health systems-oriented. The interventions targeted adolescent boys or girls or both (seven studies), parents (four studies), and providers (two studies). Five studies had mixed participants that included adolescents and parents, adolescents and healthcare providers, and parents and healthcare providers. The outcomes included uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) (11 studies); hepatitis B (three studies); and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular-pertussis (Tdap), meningococcal, HPV, and influenza (three studies) vaccines among adolescents. Health education improves HPV vaccine uptake compared to usual practice (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.76; I² = 0%; 3 studies, 1054 participants; high-certainty evidence). In addition, one large study provided evidence that a complex multi-component health education intervention probably results in little to no difference in hepatitis B vaccine uptake compared to simplified information leaflets on the vaccine (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97 to 0.99; 17,411 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Financial incentives may improve HPV vaccine uptake compared to usual practice (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.99; 1 study, 500 participants; low-certainty evidence). However, we are uncertain whether combining health education and financial incentives has an effect on hepatitis B vaccine uptake, compared to usual practice (RR 1.38, 95% CI 0.96 to 2.00; 1 study, 104 participants; very low certainty evidence). Mandatory vaccination probably leads to a large increase in hepatitis B vaccine uptake compared to usual practice (RR 3.92, 95% CI 3.65 to 4.20; 1 study, 6462 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Provider prompts probably make little or no difference compared to usual practice, on completion of Tdap (OR 1.28, 95% CI 0.59 to 2.80; 2 studies, 3296 participants), meningococcal (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.79; 2 studies, 3219 participants), HPV (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.81; 2 studies, 859 participants), and influenza (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.34; 2 studies, 1439 participants) vaccination schedules (moderate-certainty evidence). Provider education with performance feedback may increase the proportion of adolescents who are offered and accept HPV vaccination by clinicians, compared to usual practice. Compared to adolescents visiting non-participating clinicians (in the usual practice group), the adolescents visiting clinicians in the intervention group were more likely to receive the first dose of HPV during preventive visits (5.7 percentage points increase) and during acute visits (0.7 percentage points for the first and 5.6 percentage points for the second doses of HPV) (227 clinicians and more than 200,000 children; low-certainty evidence). A class-based school vaccination strategy probably leads to slightly higher HPV vaccine uptake than an age-based school vaccination strategy (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.13; 1 study, 5537 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). A multi-component provider intervention (including an education session, repeated contacts, individualised feedback, and incentives) probably improves uptake of HPV vaccine compared to usual practice (moderate-certainty evidence). A multi-component intervention targeting providers and parents involving social marketing and health education may improve HPV vaccine uptake compared to usual practice (RR 1.41, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.59; 1 study, 25,869 participants; low-certainty evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Various strategies have been evaluated to improve adolescent vaccination including health education, financial incentives, mandatory vaccination, and class-based school vaccine delivery. However, most of the evidence is of low to moderate certainty. This implies that while this research provides some indication of the likely effect of these interventions, the likelihood that the effects will be substantially different is high. Therefore, additional research is needed to further enhance adolescent immunisation strategies, especially in low- and middle-income countries where there are limited adolescent vaccination programmes. In addition, it is critical to understand the factors that influence hesitancy, acceptance, and demand for adolescent vaccination in different settings. This is the topic of an ongoing Cochrane qualitative evidence synthesis, which may help to explain why and how some interventions were more effective than others in increasing adolescent HPV vaccination coverage.

Challenges of health promotion and education strategies to prevent cervical cancer in India: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Although there is a reduction in cervical cancer incidence over the years, it keeps the second position of the most common cancers among females in India. The aim of this review is to understand the challenges of health promotion and education strategies to prevent cervical cancer in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review is based on 78 studies published during 1993-2017 on the topics of awareness, attitude, and acceptance toward cervical cancer, screening, and human papilloma virus vaccination among Indians. The extracted information was summarized according to different populations such as people from different social and community groups, women and men attended clinics, students (nursing/medical/nonmedical), health-care providers (doctors, nurses, and other health workers), migrated Indians, and cervical cancer patients.

RESULTS

The awareness about cervical cancer and its prevention was very poor among women from different communities and the majority had a negative attitude toward screening and vaccination in general. The health professionals and medical students were more aware of cervical cancer and its prevention compared to the general population. Majority of students irrespective of medical or nonmedical background had a positive attitude toward vaccination. Only a small proportion of women in the general population were ever screened.

CONCLUSIONS

Observations from this review indicate immediate attention of the public health authority to take appropriate actions to educate and motivate general population toward cervical cancer prevention and to improve the facilities to incorporate the much needed preventive and early detection interventions in India.

Social capital, trust in health information, and acceptance of Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign in Tamil Nadu: A case-control study

Background

Parents' decision about vaccination of children is influenced by social relationships and sources of information. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of social capital and trust in health information on the status of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in Tamil Nadu.

Materials and Methods

This was a case-control study carried out in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu where the MR vaccination campaign offered by Government of Tamil Nadu had poor acceptance. Cases were parents of children who had refused the MR vaccine and controls were parents having children in the same age group who had accepted the vaccine. Data on social capital and trust in health information were collected by using social capital scale developed by the researchers and trust in the source of information was measured by using simple questions on the level of trust in the information source.

Results

Nonadministration of MR vaccine was high among young parents and parents of younger children. Vaccine acceptance was higher when it was offered at school (P < 0.000) and also among parents who trusted school teachers (P < 0.003) and other school children (P < 0.014) as source of information. MR vaccine acceptance was less among parents who trusted social media and WhatsApp information. Greater levels of health-related physical social capital led to greater vaccine hesitancy. Multivariate analysis revealed that greater the age of the child, better parental attitudes toward vaccination, poorer health-related physical social capital, and greater trust in health information provided by school teachers led to overall greater acceptance of the MR vaccine.

Conclusion

Strong homogeneous bonding social capital had a negative influence on MR vaccine acceptance. Schools and school teachers played a vital role in influencing parental decision to vaccinate.

Social media and HPV vaccination: Unsolicited public comments on a Facebook post by the Western Cape Department of Health provide insights into determinants of vaccine hesitancy in South Africa

On the 4 February 2019, the Western Cape Department of Health's Facebook page announced the implementation of a school-based vaccination campaign aimed to administer the first doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in public schools to Grade 4 girls who are nine years old. This announcement was met with a flurry of social media responses posted on the campaign's Facebook page. This study identifies determinants of vaccine hesitancy amongst responses provided by social media users to this post. On 8 March 2019, we conducted a qualitative study including all 157 comments to the Facebook post. The post had 659 'emotion' reactions: 574 "likes", 62 "loves", 21 "angry faces", 2 "laughs", 2 "wows" and 1 "sad face". An overwhelming majority (636/659 i.e. 97%) of reactions were favourable to the HPV vaccination campaign. Out of the 157 comments, we judged 52 (33%) of them to be 'hesitant', suggesting that people with negative reactions though few in number, were more likely to be vocal deniers. Concern around the safety of HPV vaccines including effects on reproductive health was the most common theme identified. Other emerging themes included: risk of cervical cancer perceived as being low, issues around consent, concerns that girls are being used for research, questionable vaccine effectiveness, use of the school-based strategy for the campaign, risk-benefits calculations of HPV vaccination and constraints such as stock-outs. Knowing someone who had been affected or being at risk of cervical cancer, having knowledge about the causes of cervical cancer, confidence in the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine, knowing the vaccine was being used in high income settings, and having strong recommendations from the World Health Organisation and key actors seemed to increase the willingness to accept the vaccine. The magnitude and causes of HPV vaccine hesitancy need to be investigated to ensure the success of this programme.