The feasibility of universal HPV vaccination program in Shenzhen of China: a health policy analysis

BACKGROUND: HPV vaccination for the prioritized adolescent girls is well accepted and implemented in developed countries as an effective measure for cervical cancer prevention and control with increasing population-level effectiveness evidence accumulated. This study is to assess the feasibility of universal HPV vaccination among adolescent girls to inform strategies to manage political dimensions of policy-making process in Shenzhen, China, offering insights for other low- and middle-income countries undergoing HPV vaccine introduction. METHODS: Document review and in-depth interviews with identified stakeholders were conducted. The framework of Health Policy Triangle was adapted to guide data collection and analysis in terms of context, actors, process and content. Stakeholder analysis examining actors’ position, power, role and interest and thematic analysis focusing on data coding and theme development were used. RESULTS: Shenzhen’s contextual factors include legislative authority under a unitary political system, economic developments and cultural values on immunization and sexuality. Stakeholders’ position and power could be explained by their role and interest in the Top-down health administration. Mothers could be potential bystanders if having little knowledge on HPV vaccination. Themes in policy-making process were problem definition, advocacy activities to promote HPV vaccination, HPV vaccine demand and access, the role of media and political attention on evidence-informed policy-making in Shenzhen. These stakeholders also discussed different aspects of program planning prospectively. CONCLUSIONS: Shenzhen witnesses a possibility of demonstration projects for local government’s horizontal accountability but no potential advocates were identified at local level for fragmented organization of public health facilities and health professionals’ lacking mobilization skills. A cervical cancer prevention expert could be a policy entrepreneur. Despite of these challenges, the recommendations to enhance the feasibility include multi-participation to engage non-governmental organizations, pharmaceuticals, target girls and their mothers, power enforcement along governing system, as well as better use of the media.