{"id":76987,"date":"2026-02-04T11:53:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T18:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=76987"},"modified":"2026-02-04T11:53:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T18:53:45","slug":"hpv-texting-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/hpv-texting-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"Text message campaign aims to fight HPV-associated cancers in Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Could a simple text message help prevent a cancer diagnosis? <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Naomi Lee<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0hopes so.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">With $435,000 in funding from Merck &amp; Co., Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at NAU, is\u00a0developing\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nativeshine.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">text\u00a0message campaign<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0that will raise awareness of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among historically underserved Arizonans, including people from rural and Native American backgrounds who suffer from some of the highest rates of cancers caused by the virus.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI\u2019ve seen a major disparity between Indigenous people and other groups when it comes to cancers overall, and especially HPV-associated cancers,\u201d Lee said. \u201cWe know younger individuals are getting the vaccine at higher rates, but older Indigenous women have the highest cervical cancer rates in the nation. A lot of my research centers on questions about what\u2019s driving that. Are they getting vaccinated? If not, why aren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Over the next six months, Lee will work with the healthcare organization MedStar, University of Arizona cancer researcher Celina Valencia and a handful of NAU undergraduate students to develop text messages and send them to a group of Arizonans who have no record of HPV vaccination. MedStar\u2019s Phoenix branch has worked with Indigenous communities on various research projects for more than 30 years, and the rest of the research group is composed\u00a0almost entirely\u00a0of Indigenous women.\u00a0Lee said the team\u2019s collective background and experience will prove pivotal to the project\u2019s recruitment success.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"HPV &amp; Cervical Cancer Awareness 2026\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QcNhvqQftrU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Members of the research team developed this video for those who want to learn more about HPV and cervical cancer.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/h6>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\"><br \/>\nUsing Tango gift cards as enticement,\u00a0they\u2019ll\u00a0ask some participants to fill out surveys to find out what they know about HPV and how they feel about vaccines\u2014one at the beginning of the campaign and another at the end. Participants\u00a0also\u00a0will\u00a0have the option to chat with researchers, sharing their questions and concerns about the virus and the vaccine. (Another group will\u00a0only\u00a0participate\u00a0passively; Lee and her team will send that group information about HPV and the vaccine without prompting them to take any action.) In the second half of 2026, the research group will analyze the outcome of the campaign using data from the survey.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe\u2019re doing pre- and post-campaign surveys to see if attitudes\u00a0changed\u00a0and if knowledge has increased,\u201d Lee said. \u201cThe surveys could also help us understand the barriers people face. In my\u00a0previous\u00a0research,\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0found\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0often about lack of access: It takes too long to drive to a clinic, there are too many job or childcare responsibilities to take time off,\u00a0or they\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0commit to more than one appointment to complete the vaccine series.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Learning about barriers to access could be crucial in the fight against HPV-associated cancers\u2014including oral cancer in men, which is\u00a0three to four\u00a0times more common than cervical and other HPV-associated cancers in women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIf access is the main reason why some rural communities aren\u2019t getting vaccinated, that\u2019s actually promising news, because protection against HPV-associated cancers is getting easier,\u201d Lee said. \u201cThe Department of Health and Human Services has\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/press-room\/wtas-new-cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines.html\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">new guidelines<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0encouraging\u00a0people to self-test for HPV, and a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/nih-research-matters\/one-dose-hpv-vaccine-effective-two\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">new study<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0is suggesting that just one dose of the HPV vaccine may be enough.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Lee said this is only a pilot study, with just 250 Arizonans\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Flagstaff, Phoenix and Tucson\u00a0areas\u00a0taking part. But if the pilot proves successful, Lee hopes to reach more people via text message in the future, again leveraging MedStar\u2019s Arizona community connections to clear up people\u2019s apprehensions about the HPV shots.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cCelina and I have been working in this field long enough to know some of the misconceptions people have about HPV and cervical cancer,\u201d Lee said. \u201cPeople are suspicious of some ingredients in the vaccine that they\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0pronounce. As a biochemist, I can tell them exactly what those ingredients are, what they do and why\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0important for the vaccine.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_76993\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76993\" style=\"width: 780px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1150_LeeLab_20190329-.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-76993\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1150_LeeLab_20190329-.jpg\" alt=\"Naomi Lee measuring liquid into a test tube in a white lab coat\" width=\"780\" height=\"520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/02\/1150_LeeLab_20190329-.jpg 900w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/02\/1150_LeeLab_20190329--300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/02\/1150_LeeLab_20190329--768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-76993\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8220;People are suspicious of some ingredients in the vaccine that they\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0pronounce,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;As a biochemist, I can tell them exactly what those ingredients are.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In the future, Lee also hopes to quell healthcare providers\u2019 misgivings about the vaccines and provide them with updated information\u2014ensuring both patient and provider are equipped with the information they need to stay healthy.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe\u2019re building partnerships with health facilities to do a separate study on healthcare workers and what they do and don\u2019t know,\u201d Lee said. \u201cWith the new recommendations coming out, providers might have questions about what they mean, who they come from and how they can help patients who live in underserved areas.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Interested\u00a0in\u00a0participating\u00a0in this study? For more information,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nativeshine.org\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">visit the project website<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:180,&quot;335559739&quot;:180}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-56007\" src=\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514.png\" alt=\"Northern Arizona University Logo\" width=\"134\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514.png 905w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-768x546.png 768w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2019\/06\/NAU_primary-281_3514-600x426.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 134px) 100vw, 134px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\"><br \/>\nJill Kimball | NAU Communications<br \/>\n(928) 523-2282 | <a href=\"mailto:jill.kimball@nau.edu\">jill.kimball@nau.edu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"search-results-excerpt-link\" href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/hpv-texting-campaign\/\">Could a simple text message help prevent a cancer diagnosis? Naomi Lee\u00a0hopes so.\u00a0 With $435,000 in funding from Merck &amp; Co., Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at NAU, is\u00a0developing\u00a0a\u00a0text\u00a0message campaign\u00a0that will raise awareness of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among historically underserved Arizonans, including people from rural and Native&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":76990,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty-staff"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}