Optimising HPV vaccination communication to adolescents: A discrete choice experiment

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage in France is below 30%, despite proven effectiveness against HPV infections and (pre-)cancerous cervical lesions. To optimise promotion among adolescents, we used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to identify optimal statements regarding vaccination programme, including characteristics. Girls boys enrolled the last two years of five middle schools three French regions (aged 13–15 years) participated an in-class cross-sectional self-administered internet-based study. In ten hypothetical scenarios, participants decided for or signing up school-based campaign unnamed disease. Scenarios included different levels four attributes: type vaccine-preventable disease, communication on safety, potential indirect protection, information uptake peers. One scenario was repeated with added mention sexual transmission. The 1,458 participating adolescents (estimated response rate: 89.4%) theoretically accepted 80.1% scenarios. All attributes significantly impacted theoretical acceptance. Compared febrile respiratory protection cancer motivating (odds ratio (OR) 1.29 [95%-CI 1.09–1.52]), but not genital warts (OR 0.91 [0.78–1.06]). risk negation (“vaccine does provoke serious side effects”), reference positive benefit-risk balance confirmed effect strongly dissuasive 0.30 [0.24–0.36]), while ongoing international pharmacovigilance without any scientifically 0.86 [0.71–1.04]). motivated acceptance girls (potential eliminating disease compared no OR 1.57 [1.25–1.96]). mentioning “insufficient coverage”, reporting that “>80% young people other countries got vaccinated” 1.94 [1.61–2.35]). notion transmission did influence can be tailored impact efforts.