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Survey Uncovers Surprising Attitudes about HIV Vaccine Research
47 percent of African Americans, 26
percent of Hispanics, 13 percent of men who have sex with men (MSM),
and 18 percent of the general population believe that an HIV
vaccine already exists but is being kept a secret. This is one
of several unexpected outcomes of a telephone survey of US adults
conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
(NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Also surprising, but reflecting more positive attitudes,
the survey found that a majority believe that HIV vaccines are the
best hope for controlling the global AIDS epidemic and are confident
such vaccines can be made.
But while most of those surveyed felt it personally
important to help support HIV vaccine research, a majority expressed
reluctance to support a friend or family member's participation
in an HIV vaccine clinical trial.
These were among the conflicting findings of the NIAID
survey of more than 3,500 adults. The primary objective of the survey
was to assess attitudes, knowledge and awareness of HIV vaccine
research in the United States. Conducted by members of the HIV Vaccine
Communications Campaign of the NIAID, the survey points to the ongoing
challenges HIV vaccine researchers face.
A paper on the survey results is available online now
and will be published in an upcoming print issue of the
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
"Tens of thousands of volunteers are required for
the more than 30 HIV vaccine clinical trials currently planned or
under way," says NIAID director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "It
is essential that current and future trials involve volunteers from
diverse communities to enable us to find a vaccine that works for
all populations."
"It is clear that we have a lot of work to do in
explaining HIV vaccine research," adds paper co-author Matthew
Murguía, director of the Office of Program Operations and Scientific
Information in the NIAID Division of AIDS. "We must develop
strong partnerships with communities highly impacted by HIV/AIDS
so individuals from these communities can make informed decisions
about participating in HIV vaccine research."
The survey, conducted between December 2002 and February
2003, polled 2,008 U.S. adults, 18 or older,
randomly selected from the general population. An additional 1,501
U.S. adults interviewed were randomly selected from each of three
specific subpopulations highly affected by HIV--African Americans,
Hispanics and men who have sex with men.
The survey uncovered some unexpected attitudes and beliefs:
47 percent of African Americans,
26 percent of Hispanics, 13 percent of men who have sex with men
and 18 percent of the general population believe that an HIV vaccine
already exists but is being kept a secret.
Most
subpopulation respondents--78 percent of African Americans, 68
percent of men who have sex with men and 57 percent of Hispanics--either
do not know whether or incorrectly believe that the vaccines being
tested can cause HIV infection. Only 24 percent of the general
population responded comparably.
Among men who have sex
with men, 77 percent cited HIV/AIDS as the most urgent health
problem. Only a small percentage of the other groups surveyed,
however, agreed: 11 percent of Hispanics, 15 percent of the general
population and 22 percent of African Americans.
In
general, women had less knowledge and awareness than men about
HIV vaccine research.
High percentages of each
group felt it was important to personally support HIV vaccine
research: 89 percent of both Hispanics and of men who have sex
with men, 86 percent of African Americans and 73 percent of the
general population. Nonetheless, many were reluctant to express
strong support for friends or family members volunteering for
HIV vaccine trials.
Only 29 percent of the
general population and 35 percent of African Americans said they
would be extremely or very supportive. Hispanics and men who have
sex with men were more inclined to be supportive: 46 percent and
68 percent, respectively.
The NIAID team also assessed trust in the U.S. government's
ability to protect HIV vaccine trial volunteers. While about half
of three groups--men who have sex with men (50 percent), African
Americans (55 percent) and the general population (57 percent)--said
they could trust the government to protect HIV vaccine trial volunteers,
the rate of trust among Hispanics was significantly higher at 78
percent.
Based on interviews, focus groups and media analysis,
NIAID team members first developed five key messages on vaccine
research. They then designed the survey to determine whether these
key messages were the most important ones for the HIV Vaccine Communications
Campaign to address. These key messages were:
There is currently no vaccine to prevent HIV infection.
Only HIV-negative individuals
can volunteer for a preventive HIV vaccine trial.
You cannot become infected
with HIV from the vaccines being tested.
All populations must be
involved in HIV vaccine research.
An HIV preventive vaccine,
complemented by strong behavioral prevention programs and AIDS
care and treatment, is the best way to end the epidemic.
The results of the survey, says Mr. Murguía, have helped
identify which populations researchers need to target for better
understanding of HIV vaccine research, as well as which messages
need to be tailored to specific populations.
The NIAID team will work to lower the barriers that
inhibit potential volunteers from diverse populations from participating
in HIV vaccine trials and to increase community support for those
who volunteer for a trial.
08/10/05
Source
NIH News
Reference
M Allen and others. Assessing the attitudes, knowledge,
and awareness of HIV vaccine research among adults in the United
States.
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
Published on-line before print on July 28, 2005. DOI:10.1097/01.qai.0000174655.63653.38
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