Rethink and Reduce inequalities in HPV vaccination through personalized communication & training, based on social innovation and behavioural determinants of health

ended

Although HPV cancers are some of the most preventable forms of cancer, the vaccine intake in some countries from the European Region is low and very low. HPV infection is responsible for 99.7% of cervical cancers and it’s the most common sexually transmitted infection. 16 and 18-HPV types cause 70% of cervical cancers and pre-cancerous lesions. There is also evidence linking HPV with cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina, penis, and oropharynx. The now available HPV vaccine covers 90% of the circulating strains of the virus. In this context, vaccination of the female and male population should be one of the public health priorities. Theoretically it is, but practically the results are missing in many countries – Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Albania and so on are the best examples on how lack of access to the right information, misinformation and fake-news, unrealistic communication strategies and infodemia related to the vaccination in general (including Covid-19 vaccination), can generate thousands of avoidable deaths. These countries, with Romania being the worst, have the highest rate of preventable and treatable deaths in European Region. For example, at European level, Romania ranks first in terms of incidence and mortality for cervical cancer: the incidence is 2.5 times higher than the Eu average, and the mortality rate is over 4 times higher. The ReThinkHPVaccination Project aims at changing this narrative and reducing inequalities in HPV vaccination between and within countries through personalised communication & training, based on social innovation and assessment and targeted interventions on the behavioural determinants of health. The main goal of this project is to support Member States and EU widening countries to rethink and restart their HPV vaccination campaigns and so take a step closer to achieving Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and Cancer Mission objectives with regards to HPV vaccination and cancer prevention.