HPV... and you?”: prevention takes center stage in schools
The “HPV... and you?” project, promoted by the Local Health Authority of Sassari in collaboration with secondary schools in the province, aims to raise awareness among approximately 350 students about the importance of HPV vaccination through accessible language and innovative methods. The initiative, which will culminate in a day-long event on May 23, combines health expertise, education, art, and social inclusion to promote informed and lasting awareness among young people about the value of preventive vaccination.
As part of its health promotion strategies aimed at young people, the Local Health Authority of Sassari has launched the project “HPV... e tu?” (HPV... and you?) an awareness-raising initiative dedicated to the prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, with a particular focus on vaccination as a key means of individual and collective protection. The experimental project was carried out by the Local Health Authority of Sassari, through its Prevention and Health Promotion, Hygiene and Public Health, Family Health Counseling, and Residential and Semi-Residential Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service departments, in collaboration with secondary schools in the province of Sassari. This initiative involves around 350 students in a training and critical reflection program on issues that are often underestimated but are of utmost importance for Public Health. The initiative will culminate in an event scheduled for May 23 at the Auditorium of the Devilla State Technical College in Sassari, where an interactive theater performance will be staged by the BobòScianèl theater company.
Using theater as an educational tool is a deliberate methodological choice: through irony, symbolic language, and emotional involvement, the performance aims to convey accurate and scientifically based knowledge about HPV transmission, its potential consequences (including cancer), and effective prevention strategies, first and foremost the HPV vaccine, which is recommended for both sexes and offered free of charge to adolescents. A distinctive feature of the project is its inclusive and community-based approach. The ASL Mental Health Department actively participated in the production of educational materials used during the initiative, involving users and operators in a shared creative process. This model of integration between healthcare, education, and culture enriches the educational message and roots it in the local social fabric.
“HPV... and you?” is fully in line with the health promotion measures set out in the National Prevention Plan and the recommendations of the World Health Organization, according to which the early involvement of adolescents, through effective communication tools, is crucial to increasing informed participation in vaccination programs.
Through this initiative, the Local Health Authority of Sassari reconfirms its commitment to building a culture of preventive vaccination based on scientific evidence, the active participation of the younger generations, and collaboration between various local stakeholders.
Vaccinarsinsardegna.org, as mandated by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia in support of the activities of Program Libero 13 - Consolidation of organized cancer screening programs - of the 2020-2025 Regional Prevention Plan, endorses this initiative, acknowledging its importance and value.
Stay tuned to our website so as not to miss any upcoming updates.
*Edited by Dr. PP Muglia
