Breaking the silence: what homeless 18- to 24-year-olds say about HIV vaccine trials.
Development of a global HIV vaccine will require enrollment of a large number of adults and adolescents in clinical trials. Involvement of homeless young adults in these trials will be particularly important because they often practice high-risk behaviors and are disproportionately infected by HIV. This qualitative study explores factors that might affect future participation of homeless 18- to 24-year-olds of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds in HIV vaccine trials (HIVVTs). Twenty males and females attended focus groups. Participants expressed concern about seroconversion, the trustworthiness of the researchers and/or government agencies conducting trials, vaccine side effects, and possible negative behavior change as a result of being vaccinated. Understanding the personal perspectives of high-risk young adults will enable researchers to tailor protocols to their individual needs and cultural values and, in so doing, potentially enhance willingness to participate in HIVVTs.
Koniak-Griffin
Deborah
D
Women's Health Research at University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing, 10833 LeConte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6919, USA. dkoniak@sonnet.ucla.edu
Nyamathi
Adeline
A
Tallen
Louise
L
González-Figueroa
Evelyn
E
Dominick
Ernestina
E
D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States
D016915:AIDS Vaccines