Normalizing HPV Vaccination in Preteens With a Serious Video Game

University of North Carolina (UNC)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Human Papillomavirus

Treatments: Behavioral: educational video game for preteens to support HPV vaccination

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04627298

1R01AI113305 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

14-1891

Details and patient eligibility

About

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and causes genital warts and cancers in both females and males. Vaccination against HPV is recommended for routine use in those aged 11-12 years old, yet is underutilized. The study's premise is that preteens are relevant decision makers who can be motivated to initiate and complete the HPV vaccine series (assuming parental consent and provider recommendation). This study evaluates a serious video game to engage preteens in the decision to pursue HPV vaccination. The hypothesis is that preteens who are assigned to the video game will be more likely to initiate and complete HPV vaccination than preteens who are not assigned to the video game.

Full description

The aims of this pilot study are to (1) evaluate whether preteens who receive the video game have better self-reported outcomes related to knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine, vaccination self-efficacy and decisional balance compared with preteens who do not receive the game; and (2) evaluate outcomes related to immersion in the video game and game play experiences of preteens who played the game. HPV vaccination initiation and completion data are collected from practices for both preteens who receive the game and a comparison group who do not receive the game.

This is a multiple baseline study based in primary care practices in North Carolina and conducted over 3 waves of 16 practices each wave. The goal is to recruit 160 boys and girls ages 11-12 and not vaccinated against HPV for each wave. Participants are recruited by their primary care providers to enroll in the study. Parents give consent and preteens give assent.

An original video game, Land of Secret Gardens, is created for the study. The game is a metaphor for protecting seedlings (body) with a potion (vaccine). Points to buy seeds and create the potion are earned by playing minigames. The minigames include several versions of finding secret objects in a garden shed and another involves playing a shield game with blue spikey balls (i.e., HPV) before they land on budding plants. Throughout the play, players are exposed to messaging about HPV and the benefits of the HPV vaccine.

Preteens are randomly assigned to an intervention group to play the video game or to a comparison group that will not play the game. Participants are asked to complete baseline and postintervention surveys. Measures included are scales for knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine, vaccination self-efficacy and decisional balance about deciding to pursue HPV vaccination. Participants in the intervention group are also asked about story immersion and game play.

Enrollment: 55 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 11 to 12 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• preteens 11-12 who had not received any doses of HPV vaccination
• recruited by primary care practices in North Carolina
• parent signed HIPAA release
• willing to take baseline and postintervention surveys
• access to internet and mobile device or personal computer

Exclusion criteria

• preteens who had received at least one dose of HPV vaccine

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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55 participants in 2 patient groups

Video Game

Active Comparator group

Description:

This arm tests use of video game to help preteens in the decision to pursue HPV vaccination. Participants in the intervention group are asked to play the Land of Secret Gardens game and complete 3 tasks: (1) play a shield game with blue spikey virus balls, (2) find hidden objects in 4 different garden sheds, and (3) create a potion (vaccine). Participants in the intervention arm are asked to respond to surveys about HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge, vaccination self-efficacy and decisional balance, the Physical/Emotional/Narrative Presence Scale (PENS) to gauge preteens' immersion in the game, and game play experience.

Treatment:

Behavioral: educational video game for preteens to support HPV vaccination

No Video Game

No Intervention group

Description:

This arm does not test the video game. Participants in the comparison arm are asked to respond to surveys about HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge, vaccination self-efficacy and decisional balance.