Behavioral Insights Lab

The Kings Arms Bar in University of Oxford has been serving alcohol for more than 400 years. Established circa 1606. In the 1700s, Daniel Sutton, a vaccine scientist provided smallpox vaccination to patrons while they were drinking in the bar. He made it convenient for them. As a Behavioral Science Researcher, what Sutton did reaffirms the importance of tapping into people’s routines to improve uptake of public health interventions. In 2022, my employers, Behavioral Insights Lab & Upswell conducted research in Nigeria, which showed that taking COVID-19 vaccines to places where people visit routinely increased uptake of vaccines. Read more 👉🏿 https://lnkd.in/ebrXnSJ3

But ensuring that girls get vaccinated is not just a logistical challenge; there is also an important social component. A recent Behavioral Insights Lab survey, in which I was principal investigator, showed that community perceptions were a major determinant of respondents’ stances on the vaccine. Most caregivers (72%) reported that they were very likely to discuss HPV vaccination with their family and friends, and those who perceived that their family and friends supported it were more likely to believe that their female child would get vaccinated. READ 👉🏿 https://lnkd.in/eQJty7KQ

Jessica Pettway, a YouTube fashion and lifestyle influencer, died this month from cervical cancer at the age of 36. Her untimely death – and those of countless other women – probably could have been prevented, thanks to an effective vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for about 95% of cervical cancers. But not nearly enough people are getting it. My latest piece for Project Syndicate. I shared lessons from Behavioral Insights Lab Nigeria HPV survey.

One month prior to the launch of HPV vaccination in Nigeria, the Behavioral Insights Lab carried out a survey with dual objectives: to assess the acceptability of the HPV vaccine and to identify key behavioural factors influencing HPV vaccination decisions among male and female caregivers of girls aged 9–17 years across six states — Anambra, Bauchi, Lagos, Niger, Rivers, and Sokoto. Drew Bernard and I share some insights in this piece for Nigeria Health Watch.

In October last year, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and other partners, Nigeria launched Phase I of a nationwide Human Papilloma Vaccine (HPV) vaccination campaign across 16 states and Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory. The goal of this nationwide campaign was to vaccinate 7.7 million adolescent girls against cervical cancer. A month before the launch, the Behavioral Insights Lab carried out a survey with dual objectives: to assess the acceptability of the HPV vaccine and to identify key behavioural factors influencing HPV vaccination decisions among male and female caregivers of girls aged 9–17 years across six states — Anambra, Bauchi, Lagos, Niger, Rivers, and Sokoto. In today's #NHWPost, Ifeanyi Nsofor, MD, and Drew Bernard discuss the survey, results, and a factor that can be applied to improve Nigeria's HPV vaccination campaign. Find out here: https://lnkd.in/dAJXpmm9 #SupportImmunisation #VaccinesWork #Vaccines

Truly grateful to Swat (Her Vocal Majesty) Duniah for hosting me on her NigeriaInfo 95.1 FM Abuja radio show, to discuss some results of Behavioral Insights Lab’s HPV vaccination acceptability survey among caregivers of girls aged 9-17 years in Nigeria. 1429 respondents across six states (Anambra, Bauchi, Lagos, Nigeria, Rivers and Sokoto). Based on the Fogg behavior model, we found that caregivers perceiving the HPV vaccine as a path to a more promising future for their girls are at least 30% more likely, in all scenarios, to pursue vaccination. This highlights the significant influence of optimism and ambition on such a crucial health choice.

  Behavioral Insights from an Unprecedented HPV Vaccine Turnout in Bauchi A news story from November 3 highlighted an extraordinary event in Bauchi State – a record-breaking turnout for the HPV vaccine (https://lnkd.in/gvAkTzis ). But what's behind this remarkable achievement? In a recent #BiL survey conducted before Nigeria's HPV vaccination campaign, we uncovered some fascinating insights. Despite factors like the caregiver’s age, gender, education, and urban-rural residence showing no significant impact on vaccination expectations, one factor stood out: the state of residence. In Bauchi, an impressive 74% of caregivers expected their girls to receive the vaccine, compared to 57% in other surveyed states. Moreover, Bauchi caregivers showed higher motivation (79% vs. 72%) and were more likely to discuss the vaccine with others (79% vs. 71%). This data suggests a community spirit in Bauchi, where health awareness and proactive discussion are making a real difference. What do you think drives this exceptional community response in Bauchi? #HPVVaccine #PublicHealth #CommunityEngagement #Bauchi