Executive summary
HPV is a grave concern in the medical circles since researchers note that the virus infects more than 50% of sexually active persons. Research also indicates that the prevalence of the infection is highest in young people, especially in the years following their sexual debut. The program, “HPV Fight for KC” is designed to inform the public about the HPV, with emphasis given to informing young people between the ages of 16 and 26 years how they can prevent themselves from infection. The program will target the youth from low-income areas in Kansas City, Missouri.
Despite the fact that the HPV issue is an aspect that sparks national interest, a review of the literature on the issue shows that the youths from low-income areas are more susceptible to the adverse effects of the virus. This is clearly seen in research suggesting that such areas report 80% of the total HPV cases reported in the city. A factor that contributes to this state of affairs is the fact that the people from such areas are less informed regarding the virus. Also, a vaccine, Gardasil which is identified as being one of the best to treat the infection is too expensive for people in low-income areas to afford or even get information on how the vaccine works. Another option through which the vaccine is offered is through insurance, but most of the residents in low-income areas are not covered. The goal of the program is to reduce the cost of the vaccines considerably from a high cost of about $ 500 to around $300.
The plan to educate the youth in low-income areas in Kansas City, Missouri is expected to improve the general knowledge about HPV for more than 30%. Besides, the program seeks to reduce the incidents of HPV infection by a 5% rate. The main players within the HPV Fight for KC program will be the KC Care Clinic and the KC Care Clinic. The former is a clinic based in Kansas City at 3515 Broadway. It already provides primary healthcare to residents of low-income areas, and will be a major asset to ensure that the individuals who are uninsured receive the same quality of healthcare as the persons with insurance cover. The Planned Parenthood program is an essential tool for the program since it will make the program access a bigger number of the population.
The primary stakeholders in rolling out the program will include training facilitators who will be responsible for giving the appropriate information about HPV to the youth in the target area. Besides, a planning committee that will include local community leaders and influencers will analyze the program as it is being tested. Finance will be a key aspect in rolling out the program, and a financial manager will be recruited to ensure that funds are prudently used.
Various tools will be used in disseminating information about the ways of preventing HPV infections among the youth. First will be sending postcards to all the residents of the 64111 zip code. Some digital communication platforms will be used in informing the target audience; the major being social media. Program evaluation will be carried out to determine and ensure the quality of the program. The evaluation measures will be applied to discover the effectiveness of the HPV Fight for KC program. An external evaluator to maintain the integrity of the assessment process will be used.
There are however certain limitations, especially regarding finance that the program faces. First is a limit to the cost used to send postcards to the residents of 64111 zip code, and the cost used to buy the food used during the program.
