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Increasing and Supporting the Participation of Persons of Color Living with HIV/AIDS in AIDS Clinical Trials

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Abstract

Persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) of color are under-represented in AIDS clinical trials (ACTs), which may limit the generalizability of research findings and denies many individuals access to high levels of care and new treatments available through ACTs. Disproportionately low rates of recruitment in health care settings and by providers are a major barrier to ACTs for this group. Moreover, PLHA of color are more likely than their white peers to decline to participate, mainly due to fear and mistrust (although willingness is also high), negative social norms about ACTs, and difficulty navigating the unfamiliar ACT system. We describe a small number of successful behavioral and structural interventions to increase the participation of PLHA of color in screening for and enrollment into ACTs. HIV care settings, clinical trials sites, and trial sponsors are uniquely positioned to develop procedures, supports, and trials to increase the proportion of PLHA of color in ACTs.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (1 R01 AI070005) and the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (P30DA011041), funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. We would like to acknowledge the men and women who participated in the ACT1 and ACT2 Projects, and Dr. Usha Sharma (Program Officer) and Dr. Vanessa Elharrar (Medical Officer), Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The project is dedicated to the memory of Keith Cylar, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Housing Works (1958–2004), and former Housing Works PI, The ACT1 Project.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York University College of Nursing, 726 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Marya Viorst Gwadz, Pablo Colon, Amanda S. Ritchie, Noelle R. Leonard, Angela D. Banfield, Patricia Chang & Robert Quiles

  2. National Development and Research Institutes, Inc (NDRI), 71 West 23rd St., 8th Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Charles M. Cleland

  3. Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Marion Riedel

  4. ILERA Counseling & Education Service, PO Box 876, Yonkers, NY, 10704, USA

    DeShannon Bowens

  5. Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Medical Center, 350 East 17th Street, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    Donna Mildvan

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  1. Marya Viorst Gwadz
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  2. Pablo Colon
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  3. Amanda S. Ritchie
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  4. Noelle R. Leonard
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  6. Marion Riedel
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  7. DeShannon Bowens
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  8. Angela D. Banfield
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  9. Patricia Chang
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  10. Robert Quiles
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  11. Donna Mildvan
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Correspondence to Marya Viorst Gwadz.

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Gwadz, M.V., Colon, P., Ritchie, A.S. et al. Increasing and Supporting the Participation of Persons of Color Living with HIV/AIDS in AIDS Clinical Trials. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 7, 194–200 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-010-0055-3

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