# Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2024 · $199,795

## Abstract

Cervical cancer elimination as a public health problem has become a reality if we focus on the uptake of three
evidence-based tools: HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening, and appropriate follow-up and treatment for
abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Despite multiple efforts, Alabama still ranks third in cervical cancer
mortality and sixth in incidence nationally with great disparities within the state, particularly between urban and
rural counties. In order to address this public health challenge, organizations have come together and
developed a statewide action plan to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem in Alabama by 2033.
This plan was officially launched by the State Health Officer in May 2023 as a partnership between
government, academia, civic, and non-profit organizations and is known as OPERATION WIPE OUT. While
the plan includes specific evidence-based strategies to promote HPV vaccination and cervical cancer
screening/follow-up, the evidence on multi-channel communication interventions (besides provider-focused
interventions) to promote uptake of these tools at the population level is scarce and the results are mixed,
particularly regarding HPV vaccination. We are currently examining the feasibility of a theory-driven, multi-
channel communication campaign to promote HPV vaccination uptake with high school students being agents
of change and preliminary results are encouraging. Thus, the overall goal of this supplement is to expand,
implement, and examine the feasibility and scalability of a theory-driven (Social Cognitive Theory), participatory
multi-channel communication campaign to promote HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening/follow-up that
is designed and delivered by high school students with the support of OPERATION WIPE OUT partners and
linked to access to these tools (i.e., school-based vaccination, increased access to HPV vaccination, cervical
cancer screening, and follow-up in the community) as well as create a toolkit for other school districts and
Rotary Clubs to implement the program in their communities. Key components will include: (a) continued
capacity building of senior high school students (the ones who are already engaged in the campaign),
providing them with knowledge, skills, and support to mentor junior high school students on the expansion of
the campaign as well as developing an implementation toolkit for other school districts; (b) capacity building of
junior high school students to develop and implement the new components of the campaign; (c) engagement
of parents, teachers, school nurses, and school administrators; and (d) provision of school-based vaccination
and increased availability of HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening, and follow-up in the community. The
primary outcomes will be: (1) HPV vaccination uptake at the school level. Alabama has a robust vaccine
registry managed by the Alabama Department of Public Health that can provide data on HPV vaccination
upt...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11141471
- **Project number:** 3P30CA013148-51S4
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Barry P Sleckman
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $199,795
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11141471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11141471, Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant (3P30CA013148-51S4). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11141471. Licensed CC0.

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