Development of an intervention to increase HPV vaccine uptake in Colombia.

Background: The Global Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem proposed a goal of 90% coverage for HPV vaccination in girls between 9 and 14 years of age by 2030. However, despite the efficacy and safety of the vaccine, its coverage in Colombia remains low. The aim of this paper is to provide a detailed description of the creation of a protocol for an intervention to increase HPV vaccine uptake among vaccine-eligible children and adolescents in a school setting.

Methods: This intervention development protocol was co-created with nine teachers, five nurses, nine parents, and seven girls in two workshops. Using structured worksheets, the transcripts of the workshops were integrated with the behavioral diagnosis resulting from the COM-B model and the intervention options from the Behavior Change Wheel.

Results: The findings suggest that participants want to receive information through different means, according to their age, such as messages and videos from experts on viruses for parents, games and workshops for girls, and testimonials for all. The protocol "Superprotegidas" integrates such strategies.

Discussion: The co-creation workshop identified the unique information sources and messages among stakeholders in this community. Basing the behavioral analysis on the COM-B model and the interventions on the Behavior Change Wheel undergirds the planned subsequent randomized clinical trial in a larger population.