A Digital Storytelling Intervention for Vietnamese American Mothers to Promote Their Children's HPV Vaccination

Despite higher rates of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancer in Vietnamese Americans (VA), their vaccination rate remains low. Culturally grounded narratives incorporating culture-specific beliefs and practices may be a promising approach to promote HPV vaccination and potentially mitigate HPV-associated cancer disparities experienced by VAs. We codeveloped personal, audiovisual digital stories about HPV vaccination with VA mothers of vaccinated children, and examined the effects of the digital storytelling (DST) intervention on vaccination intention among VA mothers of unvaccinated children ages 11-14. The stories (3 minutes each) were produced in both English and Vietnamese through a 2-day workshop in collaboration with two VA first-generation immigrant mothers. A community sample of 114 VA mothers of unvaccinated children viewed the stories and filled out an anonymous survey before and after the intervention. Of these mothers (mean age = 41.5 years; SD = 5.4), 35.2% were immigrants, and about half (51%) reported having a child who received free or reduced-price lunch at school. After the intervention, changes in two items indicating mothers' positive attitudes toward HPV vaccination were significant. Mothers' intention to vaccinate their children increased from 53% to 74%; the difference was large (OR = 9.12; Cohen g = 0.40) and statistically significant, χ2(1, N = 114) = 17.63, P < 0.001. Mothers' scores on the narrative quality assessment scale were high, suggesting high levels of identification and engagement with the stories. This brief intervention using digital stories was feasible and showed preliminary effects on promoting VA mothers' intention to vaccinate their children against HPV.

HPV vaccination has effectively prevented its related cancers. A culturally and linguistically congruent DST intervention targeting HPV vaccination can increase mothers' intention to vaccinate their children. See related Spotlight, p. 419.