Background & objectives: 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.
Interpretation & conclusion: 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