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287 Willingness to Volunteer in Future Preventive HIV Vaccine Trials: Issues and Perspectives from Three US Communities
R. P. Strauss1, S. Sengupta*1, S. Kegeles2, E. McLellan3, D. Metzger4, S. Eyre2, F. Khanani1, C. B. Emrick1, and K. M. MacQueen5
1 Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; 2Univ. of California, San Francisco, USA; 3TRW, Inc.; 4 Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; and 5 CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
Background: As the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues, it is increasingly clear that treatments such as antiretroviral therapy and protease inhibitors cannot control the worldwide spread of AIDS, nor will HIV transmission be stopped through behavioral interventions alone. For these reasons, safe and effective vaccines to prevent HIV infection and AIDS are necessary to control the spread of the disease. This study examined perceived risks, benefits, and desired information related to willingness to volunteer in preventive HIV vaccine trials in 3 US communities.
Methods: Purposive sampling was used to select 90 participants among injecting drug users (Philadelphia, PA); gay men (San Francisco, CA); and African Americans (Durham, NC). A qualitative interview guide was used to elicit perceived benefits, risks, and desired information relating to trial participation. Themes were developed from transcribed texts and from freelists.
Results: Stated willingness to volunteer in a preventive HIV vaccine trial was similar across the 3 communities. Eight perceived benefits were reported, including self-benefits, altruism, and stopping the spread of AIDS. Seven perceived risks were reported, including negative side effects and vaccine safety issues, contracting HIV from vaccine, and social stigmatization. Participants voiced the desire for 8 types of information about issues relating to trust and confidentiality in the research process, health complications and later assistance, and vaccine trial methodology.
Conclusions: In this study, many benefits as well as risks of preventive HIV vaccine trial participation were cited. Scientists conducting preventive HIV vaccine trials will need to address community perceptions of risks and provide information about the research if trial enrollment is to be diverse and successful
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