Developing a decision aid on HPV-vaccination for young girls and their parents

Duration: September 2008- December 2008

Literature search: Johannes Flandorfer (Web), Tarquin Mittermayr (Datenbanken)
AOK third-party project
Website online on June, 10 2009 at www.hpv-entscheidungshilfe.de

Background:
Epidemiological studies show that an infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) is a necessary factor in the development of cervical carcinoma and its early stages. In addition to the effective cervical screening programs (PAP-smear), two vaccines against the two most common cancer-causing strains of HPV have been licensed. Persuasive advertising by the companies does not provide reliable information about the disease, the vaccine or possible alternatives for young girls and women.

Aims and research objectives:
To encourage shared decision making, the “Developing a decision aid on HPV-vaccination“ project aims to prepare evidence-based online and/or printed information on HPV according to the DISCERN criteria (www.discern.com).

Methods:
A decision aid should be developed on the basis of standardised, evidence-based, qualitative analysis on the evidence on decision aids and target groups, unsystematic web research, and also of a systematic literature review. The project consists of three parts: first of all the content will be expressed in plain text, suggestions for the graphical conversion will be made and the readability and comprehensibility will be tested in an Austrian focus group. The subsequent evaluation of the final version is not part of this project. If new findings have been made public or complications have occurred, the content of the decision aid will be updated after one to two years.

Contact: Brigitte Piso