title: A pilot study on willingness to participate in future preventive HIV vaccine trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In India, phase-I human clinical trials for a preventive HIV vaccine are being conducted at Pune and Chennai Centres. In order to find out the willingness of populations at risk to participate in future preventive HIV vaccine trials (HIVVTs) and to assess the factors that enhance or deter them from participation, a study was conducted at Chennai and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted among transport workers, people attending sexually transmitted infection clinics, injection drug users, men having sex with men, women in sex industry and a representative sample of monogamous married women, by employing measurement scales. A structured questionnaire on knowledge and attitudes about the HIV vaccine was used to measure the participants' knowledge and attitudes about HIV vaccine and HIVVTs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 112 participants, 67 (60%) were men. Mean age of the respondents was 32 yr; 68 per cent were high school educated. Majority of respondents were willing to participate in a future HIVVT and the reasons were altruism, protection from HIV, and support for the researchers. Major concerns were vaccine efficacy, side effects of the vaccine and the impact of a HIV vaccine on the participants' lives. Majority (85%) agreed that sex without condom would not be safe despite the availability of an HIV vaccine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is likely that high-risk volunteers will be willing to enroll in HIVVTs. Barriers and concerns should be dealt with carefully by providing correct information. Also there is a need for more education to ensure participants' understanding of key concepts of HIV vaccine trial.
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Division, Tuberculosis Research Centre (ICMR), Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Mohanarani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suhadev
authors.forename: Adeline M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nyamathi
authors.forename: Soumya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raja Sakthivel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shenbagavalli
authors.forename: Anitha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fahey
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012725:Sexual Behavior
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines