MEE will be implementing an 18-month, non-randomized pilot study to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of using Black beauty salons as settings for culturally-sensitive health education about the impact of HPV and cervical cancer, along with HPV vaccination. The pilot project, which will take place in Philadelphia, is underwritten by Merck, Inc., makers of the Gardasil vaccine. MEE will be recruiting eight salons in North and West Philadelphia, educating stylists about HPV so that they can share information with their customers, and then offering in-depth education sessions with more than 200 women, ages 18 to 55. We will be targeting African American female salon customers, ages 18-26 who are able to make their own vaccination decisions; and mothers or guardians (primary caregivers) of African American girls who are 9-17 years old. The goal of the project is to help women make informed choices, by increasing their knowledge and awareness about HPV, as well as to increase intentions to vaccinate among young women and their influencers/caregivers.

This research project represents a unique private-sector/academic partnership that leverages and builds on the skills and expertise of MEE’s public health communications and social marketing expertise targeting underserved audiences. Our research partners include two nationally-recognized thinkers about how culture and environment impacts sexual health promotion, along with a local researcher who has developed and is implementing a community-based, multi-focused intervention to increase awareness and uptake of the HPV vaccine among young women in Philadelphia.