Fotonovela as an Educational Tool to Increase Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination in Puerto Rico

Background: Although vaccines against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are readily available, there are still low percentages of vaccinations in the population, especially in underserved and minority groups. Various of educational interventions aimed at increasing knowledge and positive attitudes towards vaccination are already in use. We aim to measure HPV vaccination awareness and attitudes among participants in Puerto Rico after being exposed to seeing the fotonovela. Methods: We administered an online pre and post-exposure survey after seeing the fotonovela. The questionnaire included demographic information, perceived susceptibility to HPV, perceived benefit of vaccination in a committed relationship, intention to vaccinate, intention to encourage others to vaccinate, and attitudes towards the fotonovela booklet. Results: Participants (210) between ages 18-45 years responded to the questionnaire. The surveys showed an increase in the number of individuals who believed they were susceptible to HPV, had an intent to vaccinate, even if they were in a relationship, and encouraged others to vaccinate after seeing the fotonovela. Overall, the use of the fotonovela had favorable educational outcomes since participants could relate to the characters and responded that they had learned a lot from this intervention. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that the use of fotonovela booklets is a valuable tool for educating about the HPV vaccine effectively and entertainingly to Hispanic communities.