Pilot Testing Digital Stories to Influence College Men's Intentions to Vaccinate Against HPV

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Vaccinology

Background:

• College men exhibit low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates.
• Digital storytelling may influence HPV vaccine uptake in this demographic.
• The Theory of Planned Behavior provides a framework for understanding vaccination intentions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and pilot test digital stories to increase HPV vaccination intentions among college men.
• To assess the impact of viewing peer-created digital stories on attitudes, norms, self-efficacy, and intentions related to HPV vaccination.

Main Methods:

• College men vaccinated against HPV participated in a workshop to create digital stories.
• Unvaccinated or status-unknown college men viewed these digital stories.
• Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and intention to vaccinate, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Main Results:

• Exposure to digital stories significantly improved participants' attitudes toward the HPV vaccine.
• Viewing the stories positively influenced subjective norms and self-efficacy regarding HPV vaccination.
• Participants showed a significant increase in their intention to vaccinate against HPV within the next year.

Conclusions:

• Digital stories created by vaccinated peers can positively influence college men's intentions to receive the HPV vaccine.
• This storytelling intervention is a promising strategy for improving HPV vaccination among young men.
• Further research is needed to confirm the impact of this intervention on actual HPV vaccine uptake.