Thesis and Publication

Health communications was a key focus of my research as an undergraduate. Spurred by my interest in women health issues, I was curious to find out why the HPV vaccination was not quite as widely taken up among young women.

I interviewed 25 women who shared their stories on how they had acquired information on the HPV vaccine and why they decided to get vaccinated. At the point of interview, the vaccine cost a whopping $360 for adults to take.

My thesis was submitted in 2016, and formed the basis of an article co-published with Dr Iccha Basnayt in 2017. In 2019, the Health Promotion Board introduced the HPV vaccine in the national vaccination programme in schools. Girls in schools are now able to take the vaccine at no cost.