A study led by PATH has just been published in Vaccine: X, which sought to identify the programmatic and operational factors that are statistically associated with variations in economic costs for HPV vaccine delivery, within and across six low- and middle-income countries.
HPV vaccine program operations and cost data were collected from Ethiopia, Guyana, Rwanda, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and Uganda to assess the determinants of costs across the various settings, and analyzed through country-specific and pooled multivariate linear regressions. Explanatory variables such as the number of HPV vaccine program activities or meetings held, receipt of per diems, and utilization rates of health workers for HPV vaccine program activities, were all positively and statistically significantly associated with economic costs in the pooled sample. Variables such as the number of HPV vaccine doses delivered, and number of vaccination sessions conducted were statistically significant in some of the regressions. The within-country regression found that only variations in utilization rates of health workers were statistically significant in all countries.
This study provides evidence to HPV vaccination program stakeholders on which program context variables impact costs, which can inform program adjustment to improve cost efficiency, especially as programs managers work to revitalize and rebuild HPV vaccine coverage after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Any organization or individual working in the field of immunization economics can submit findings, opportunities, calls to action, or other relevant work below to be shared with our community.