Abstract
BackgroundResults from HIV vaccine trials on potential volunteers will contribute to global efforts to develop an HIV vaccine. The purpose of this study among police officers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was to explore the underlying reasons that induce people to enrol in an HIV vaccine trial.MethodsWe conducted discussions with eight focus groups, containing a total of 66 police officers. The information collected was analyzed using interpretive description.ResultsThe results showed that participants were motivated to participate in the trial by altruism, and that the participants experienced some concerns about their participation. They stated that altruism in the fight against HIV infection was the main reason for enrolling in the trial. However, young participants were seriously concerned about a possible loss of close relationships if they enrolled in the HIV vaccine trial. Both men and women feared the effect of the trial on their reproductive biology, and they feared interference with pregnancy norms. They were unsure about risks such as the risks of acquiring HIV infection and of suffering physical harm, and they were unsure of the intentions of the researchers conducting the trial. Further, enrolling in the trial required medical examination, and this led some participants to fear that unknown diseases would be revealed. Other participants, however, saw an opportunity to obtain free health services.ConclusionsWe have shown that specific fears are important concerns when recruiting volunteers to an HIV vaccine trial. More knowledge is needed to determine participants' views and to ensure that they understand the conduct of the trial and the reasons it is being carried out.
Highlights
Results from HIV vaccine trials on potential volunteers will contribute to global efforts to develop an HIV vaccine
This study was a substudy of a larger Tanzania and Sweden (TANSWED) HIV Program in Tanzania funded by Sida/SAREC
The guide comprised of general sociodemographic background information and posed two main research questions: (1) Can you tell me your views about the problem of HIV and AIDS in the police force? (2) What are the cultural norms, views and opinions among police officers that may influence willingness to volunteer for an HIV vaccine trial? The guide was reformulated after the first two focus group discussions (FGDs), to include emerging perspectives such as the research questions: Who should be told and why, if one decides to take part in the trial?, and What opinions do you expect to see in other people? We focus on the cultural norms, views and opinions among police officers that may influence willingness to take part in an HIV vaccine trial in the present report
Summary
Results from HIV vaccine trials on potential volunteers will contribute to global efforts to develop an HIV vaccine. The purpose of this study among police officers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was to explore the underlying reasons that induce people to enrol in an HIV vaccine trial. An extensive body of literature is available that provides knowledge about the factors that influence willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials. Most of these studies are from high and middle-income countries. Studies from high-income countries have identified a number of such reasons, including a fear of vaccineinduced HIV infection [4,14], a fear of negative side effects of the vaccine [7,15,16], and worries about what others will think or say about the participants [1].
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