Preliminary Impact of Public Health Messaging on HPV Vaccine Uptake Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women Living with HIV in Central Uganda

We assessed the preliminary impact of public health messaging on HPV vaccine uptake among adolescents and young women living with HIV in central Uganda. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial involving 100 adolescent girls and young women (ages 10–24) living with HIV across four healthcare facilities in the Greater Masaka region of Uganda. Facilities were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control arm. Participants in the control arm were only exposed to informational posters about HPV vaccination, while those in the treatment arm received educational sessions on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination, supplemented by brochures in addition to the posters. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to evaluate the intervention’s effect on HPV vaccine uptake. Adolescents in both the intervention and control groups did not differ significantly in HPV vaccine uptake at baseline. At baseline, 46 out of 69 unvaccinated girls (49%) were in the treatment arm, which decreased to 9 (20%) at follow-up, while the number of unvaccinated girls in the control arm remained unchanged. The intervention effect was evident through a significant time × group interaction (χ² (1) = 15.13, p < 0.001) suggesting the intervention was effective in promoting HPV vaccination over time. This study highlights the importance tailored public health messaging, utilizing diverse communication strategies to enhance vaccine uptake in this vulnerable group.