FHI - Study Procedures Can Influence Participation in HIV-Prevention Trials

USAID-supported research from FHI and partners in South Africa and the United States confirms the positive impact that high-quality counseling and dedicated study participants can have on an HIV-prevention trial.

During a small trial of a microbicidal gel and diaphragm, female participants from South Africa reported having more sex with their partners during the trial than they had before it began. Yet the participants did not appear to be at increased risk of HIV because they were in monogamous relationships and reported higher rates of condom use during the trial. Interviews and focus-group discussions suggested that good counseling during the study and a commitment by the women to follow study procedures contributed to the high rates of condom use.

Women also reported that the microbicidal gel enhanced their sexual pleasure. The perception that use of condoms and the study products offered better protection against sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV, improved the sexual experience of participants as well.

The study included 120 women from Johannesburg. Half received a vaginal microbicidal gel called ACIDFORM and a diaphragm. The other half received a placebo gel and diaphragm. All women received repeated counseling on risk reduction, all were given a steady supply of condoms, and all were instructed to use the gel, the diaphragm, and a condom during every act of sex over a six-month period.

To read more about this study, published in AIDS Education and Prevention, click here.

Source
Guest G, Johnson L, Burke H, et al. Changes in sexual behavior during a safety and feasibility trial of a microbicide/diaphragm combination: an integrated qualitative and quantitative analysis. AIDS Educ Prev 2007;19(4):310-320.