A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Efficacy of Promoting Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Among Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men

Aims and objectives

1. The primary objective of the RCT study is to evaluate the relative efficacies of two online, theory-based and interactive interventions [health communication (HC) and health communication plus MI (HC-MI)] in increasing uptake of three required doses of HPV vaccination within a 9-month follow-up period among Hong Kong Chinese MSM who had not previously taken up any dose of HPV vaccination, as compared to the control group (Group C)
2. Secondary objectives are to evaluate the relative efficacies of the interventions in increasing the following responses at the end of the 9-month follow up period:

i) Intention to take up all doses of HPV vaccination in the next 12 months. ii) Theory-based cognitions supportive of HPV vaccination [e.g. those of the Health Belief Model (HBM)].

Study design A three-arm parallel RCT will be conducted. Background information and potential confounder(s) are recorded at baseline. Three post-intervention evaluations will be performed through short telephone surveys 3, 6 and 9 months after exposure to the intervention. Participants who have already taken up all three doses of HPV vaccination at Month 3 or 6 will be asked the termination questionnaire (same as that for Month 9). Interviewers and data analysts are blinded from participants' randomization status.

Subject Inclusion criteria: 1) Hong Kong Chinese speaking men of aged ≥18, 2) self-reported oral or anal intercourse with ≥1 man (last six months); 3) no intention to leave Hong Kong for >1 month consecutively within the next nine months, 4) regular internet access and 5) willing to be followed up by phone. Those who have ever received HPV vaccination will be excluded.