Acceptability of and willingness to pay for human immunodeficiency virus vaccination: A systematic literature review.

Context: Vaccines for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have considerably improved public health in the last century. Important considerations, however, are that effective vaccination substantially depends on the acceptability of future vaccines and that monetary measurements of vaccine preference, as reflected by the willingness to pay (WTP), may help policymakers establish health capital priorities. Aims: To systematically pool data on vaccine acceptability and WTP. Methods: A systematic search was performed over five databases to identify eligible articles published from 2005 to 2020, and key terms were used in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Two researchers independently assessed the articles, extracted relevant data, and drew numerical and descriptive summaries for result presentation via Excel. Results: Out of 31 eligible studies, 28 and 3 reported on the acceptability of and WTP for HIV vaccination, respectively. Acceptability levels ranged from 2.94% to 93.10%, with the average being 60.16%, and WTP values fell between US$108 and US$671. The most prevalent themes were the characteristics of HIV vaccines (safety/side effects, efficacy, duration of protection, vaccine-induced seropositivity). Conclusions: Overall, the review uncovered a lack of standardized, universal, and acceptable scales for determining acceptability and WTP. The evaluation provided a comprehensive and systematic summary of these matters along with useful information for policymakers on maximizing public health under limited resources

Willingness to volunteer in future HIV vaccine clinical trials: A literature review and evidence synthesis.

Context: Developing an effective vaccine for HIV/AIDS is a global endeavor requiring the participation of willing volunteers. Aims: To evaluate the willingness of the global population to undergo vaccination and participate in clinical trials. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, relevant studies published from January 2005 to December 2019 that reported quantitative, qualitative, and mixed analyses in peer-reviewed research papers were sought in the major databases. The inclusion criteria were that the studies be related to the willingness of participants to undergo HIV vaccination and submit to subsequent clinical trials, that they are in English, conducted in any geographic location, and published during the target period. The exclusion criteria were grey literature and studies involving the stakeholders, medical students or medical fraternities, seropositive parents with seronegative offspring, the vaccine’s biochemical, immunological, or financial aspects, and participants below the age of 16. Systematic reviews, letters to the editor, and case studies were also excluded. Results: The selected databases initially yielded 334 articles, of which 27 remained after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Demographic data, motivating factors, and the volunteers’ willingness levels were collected and analyzed. Conclusions: This review offers guidance for future research, including a standardized scale to predict the willingness of potential volunteer groups

Effects of HIV knowledge on accepting attitudes toward people living with HIV: The case of Southern Vietnam

Context: Increasing thorough knowledge and adopting a positive outlook are crucial intervention strategies in the campaign against HIV transmission. However, the stigma associated with the disease frequently causes discrimination and other human rights violations that affect the well-being of people living with HIV (PLWH). Aims: To evaluate the effects of HIV knowledge on accepting attitudes among the Vietnamese population toward PLWH. Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered, paper-based survey was conducted. Participants who provided correct answers to 13 out of the 18 questions were considered to have good knowledge, and those who chose “yes” as the response to the first three attitude questions and “no” to the last one were regarded as exhibiting appropriate attitudes. A logistic regression model was used to identify the association between knowledge and attitudes. Results: Among the participants (average age: 23.7 ± 6.4), 90.9% believed they were not at risk of HIV infection, and only 488 (39.8%) had good HIV knowledge. A low proportion (less than 20%) of them exhibited appropriate attitudes. A favorable attitude toward PLWH was significantly correlated with being male and having extensive HIV knowledge. Conclusions: While almost half of Vietnamese adults had good knowledge about HIV transmission, a significant proportion still lacked HIV knowledge and stigmatized people living with HIV. These findings suggest a need for targeted public health interventions, such as a national health education program that emphasizes family life and HIV/AIDS education, to improve knowledge and reduce stigmatization toward PLWH in Vietnam

Exposure to prevention information, sexual health, and experience of discrimination: HIV exploration among high-risk populations in Vietnam

Context: HIV/AIDS has been a major public health concern worldwide, yet research on high–risk populations in Vietnam has paid little attention to prevention information, sexual behaviors, and discrimination. Aims: To investigate the above–mentioned groups’ exposure to prevention information, sexual health, and experiences of discrimination. Methods: The cross–sectional paper–based survey focusing on HIV–related risk behaviors, testing, and access to health services was administered to participants recruited through two-stage sampling in southern Vietnam. The questionnaire consisted of four sections, including sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviors, access to preventive information, and discrimination experience. Results: Among the 173 participants, approximately 60% identified as lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender, with 51.4% reporting they had a potential risk of HIV acquisition and 85% engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors. Television was the most popular source of information on HIV prevention. The most common unsafe behavior among respondents was non–condom use during sex (72% in males and 25% in females), followed by drug use (41% in males and 7.4% in females). Significant disparities were identified in STI diagnosis, treatment, and HIV testing rates among sociodemographic groups (such as orientation, education, occupation, monthly income, and financial vulnerability). Discrimination experiences were also associated with different sociodemographic characteristics (such as men who have sex with men orientation, occupation, and engagement in high–risk sexual behaviors). Conclusions: Policymakers can allocate financial resources and support evidence-based interventions to address the HIV epidemic among high-risk populations in Vietnam, including educational campaigns on television, healthcare provider training programs, and stigma reduction efforts

Evaluation of the Pharmacy First Minor Ailments scheme

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Antibiotics Smart Use: a workable model for promoting the rational use of medicines in Thailand

The Antibiotics Smart Use (ASU) programme was introduced in Thailand as a model to promote the rational use of medicines, starting with antibiotics. The programme’s first phase consisted of assessing interventions intended to change prescribing practices; the second phase examined the feasibility of programme scale-up. Currently the programme is in its third phase, which centres on sustainability. This paper describes the concept behind ASU, the programme’s functional modalities, the development of its conceptual framework and the implementation of its first and second phases. To change antibiotic prescription practices, multifaceted interventions at the individual and organizational levels were implemented; to maintain behaviour change and scale up the programme, interventions at the network and policy levels were used. The National Health Security Office has adopted ASU as a pay-for-performance criterion, a major achievement that has led to the programme’s expansion nationwide. Despite limited resources, programme scale-up and sustainability have been facilitated by the promotion of local ownership and mutual recognition, which have generated pride and commitment. ASU is clearly a workable entry point for efforts to rationalize the use of medicines in Thailand. Its long-term sustainability will require continued local commitment and political support, effective auditing and integration of ASU into routine systems with appropriate financial incentives