Helping families and schools in Gauteng make informed choices to prevent HPV and other infection-related cancers
Multi-level shared decision-making intervention to prevent cancer in South Africa
This project offers school and family programs to help parents, teachers, and adolescents in Gauteng, South Africa make informed choices that prevent cervical and other infection-related cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11373136 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a parent, teacher, or adolescent in Gauteng, this project works with schools and the Department of Health to improve how cancer prevention information and services are delivered. It focuses on clearer education, better communication tools for teachers and caregivers, and trusted channels for shared decision-making about prevention like HPV vaccination. The team will refine materials and delivery methods to reach girls, boys, and young people outside the public school system and address past drops in program completion. The goal is to make it easier for families to understand options and follow through with prevention steps.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents (girls and boys), their parents or caregivers, and school staff in Gauteng Province, South Africa, especially those eligible for HPV vaccination or who are out of school.
Not a fit: People who live outside the project area or adults who have already completed recommended cancer-prevention measures may not directly benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could increase uptake of cancer-preventing measures such as HPV vaccination and reduce infection-related cancer risk among adolescents in high-burden communities.
How similar studies have performed: School-based HPV and infection-related cancer prevention programs have shown promise in some settings and initial national rollout in South Africa was promising but later coverage dropped, so this project builds on prior work to address gaps.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Katz, Ingrid T. — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Katz, Ingrid T.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.