HIV Testing & Womens Attitudes on HIV Vaccine Trials

This 5-year proposal responds to PAS-03-168, "Enrolling Women and Minorities in HIV/AIDS Research Trials." This study seeks to evaluate persuasive message interventions to increase HIV testing rates and improve acceptability of participation in a phase 3 HIV vaccine clinical trial among African-American, Latina, and White women. We plan to evaluate 1-sided messages, which mention only the benefits of an action, versus 2-sided messages, which mention negative aspects of the action, followed by positive counterarguments. The Health Belief Model, Inoculation and Attribution Theories will guide the research. Participants will be women attending urban community health clinics in Indianapolis, IN. Specific Aim 1 is to identify obstacles to HIV testing and to participation in a HIV vaccine clinical trial. This aim will be accomplished in years 1 and 2 through individual semi-structured interviews. We will analyze data via thematic content analysis and will use interview findings to assist in the development of measures and interventions employed in the intervention phase (years 3-5). Specific Aim 2 is to evaluate the effects of 2-sided versus 1-sided persuasive messages on rates of acceptance of rapid HIV testing. Demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal measures will be administered via audio computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI). Participants will be randomized to the intervention groups via A-CASI as well. The outcome will be acceptance/rejection of free rapid HIV testing. This Aim will be evaluated via binary logistic regression. Specific Aim 3 is to evaluate the effects of 2-sided versus 1-sided messages on willingness to participate in phase 3 clinical trials for a preventive HIV vaccine. Participants will complete this 2nd A-CASI survey and will again be randomized to intervention groups. The outcome will be a scale measuring acceptability of clinical trial participation. This Aim will be evaluated via one-way Analysis of Variance. This study is relevant to public health in that the results may help us to understand how to improve enrollment of women and minorities into preventive HIV vaccine clinical trials and how to encourage women and minorities to get tested for HIV.