Knowledge and Attitude towards vaccine trial concepts and the functional status and disability of patients with HIV/AIDS

Sha, Asmin

INTRODUCTION:

AIDS vaccine is seen as the ultimate prevention tool that will complement the existing prevention strategies in place. Patients participate in HIV vaccine trials with hope that developing a safe and effective AIDS vaccine is possible. HIV infected individuals live with various functional disabilities which need lifelong continuous care. Also, the data about the functional status of AIDS patients are rare. On this background, the study was conducted to evaluate knowledge of vaccine trial concepts and attitude of HIV infected populations to participate in HIV vaccine trials and also assess their functional and disability status.

METHODS :

A Cross-sectional study was done among 90 male and 20 female HIV positive patients attending a tertiary care hospital, and two non-governmental organizations at Mangalore, India, from November 2010 to May 2011after approval from the institutional ethical committee. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to measure the participants’ knowledge and attitudes about HIV vaccine trials and also their functional status and disability was graded according to WHO criteria after obtaining written informed consent.

RESULTS:

Knowledge of concept of vaccine trial was low and misconceptions about the concepts were common. 69% of study population will be ready to be a part of a randomized vaccine trial. Only 52% were able to lead an economically productive life. The functional status of the patients positively correlated with WHO disease stage (P < 0.0001) and CD4 count.

CONCLUSIONS:

Volunteers will be possibly ready to enroll in HIV vaccine trials with hope that developing a safe and effective AIDS vaccine is possible and more than fifty per cent of the AIDS patients are disabled and need support and care. Functional status of patients would be helpful in making important policy decisions and health care interventions strengthening community-based palliative care for AIDS patients.