Development and Evaluation of an HPV Vaccine Champion Training: a Strategy to Boost Adolescent Vaccination in Community Health Centers in Florida.

Abstract

Vaccine champions can be an important component of multilevel interventions. This paper describes the process of developing, delivering, and evaluating the vaccine champion intervention component as part of the HPV Multilevel Intervention Strategies Targeting Immunization in Community Settings (HPV MISTICS) study. Community health center leadership identified vaccine champions based on the following criteria: understanding clinical workflow, having an interest in quality improvement, and strong interpersonal and organizational skills. Development of the training materials included identifying learning objectives, developing a consistent training template, creating and refining session content and presentations, and obtaining feedback from the study's Community Advisory Board. The vaccine champion training included six 1-h live sessions delivered virtually. In addition to the availability of on-demand training session recordings, additional resources for champions included a study website, optional office hours with study team members, and a group channel to collaborate and connect with other champions. Evaluation of the training included pre- and post-session surveys (n = 5-8) and qualitative interviews (n = 4) after implementation of all components. Knowledge increased between the pre- and post-session surveys, indicating that champions understood the trainings. Evaluation of the specific champion tasks showed an increase in the champions' perception of their ability to successfully carry out the required tasks after completion of the training. During qualitative interviews, champions reported the training was comprehensive and helpful in remembering study-related tasks. The training and lessons learned presented in this study can be used to inform the development of trainings for champions in future intervention studies.