Marseille 2007
| Abstract #481 - Differences in HIV vaccine acceptability between men and women: The importance of gender-specific social and structural factors | ||||
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Session: 45.6: Prevention in the new millenium (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 16.30-18.30 in PR Chaired by Yolande Obadia, Araceli Rousaud Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Lisa Kakinami - University of Rochester, United States |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Peter Newman, Dr Sung-Jae Lee, Dr Naihua Duan, | ||||
| Aim: The development of safe and efficacious preventive HIV vaccines offers the best long-term hope of controlling the AIDS pandemic. Suboptimal vaccination rates for existing vaccines such as influenza or pneumococcal suggest that HIV vaccine acceptability cannot be taken for granted. Furthermore, gender-specific concerns might impact HIV vaccine uptake rates differentially, similar to gender differences for existing vaccines, such as lower vaccination rates among men compared to women for influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B. The purpose of this study is to assess gender differences in perceived barriers and motivators to HIV vaccine acceptability among men and women at elevated risk for HIV infection. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Diverse, low socioeconomic men (n=85; median age 37; 19% African American, 22% Latino, 49% white) and women (n= 42; median age 37; 21% African American, 48% Latina, 19% white) were recruited using purposive venue-based sampling from 9 venues serving vulnerable communities in Los Angeles, CA, US. A cross-sectional computer-assisted survey was administered in person to assess HIV vaccine acceptability and potential barriers and motivators in health care, social and familial domains. T-tests were performed by gender to examine the association between vaccine acceptability and potential barriers/motivators for each gender. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Perceived barriers to HIV vaccine acceptability differed between men and women. Women feared difficulties in getting health insurance after vaccination (p<.01), and intimate partners reactions to a womans getting an HIV vaccine (p<.05). Perceived discrimination from healthcare providers was also associated with lower vaccine acceptability among women, and included experiencing lack of respect or hostility (p<.05), being given less attention than other patients (p<.05), and having been refused service (p<.005). In contrast, mens perceived barriers reflected skepticism about the vaccines effectiveness and concerns that the vaccine would cause HIV infection (p<.15), would weaken the immune system (p<.15) and would cause false-positive HIV test results (p<.10). Only women felt HIV vaccination would lower their chances of getting HIV (p<.15). Motivations to accept vaccination differed by gender. Motivators for women included the ability to have a baby without worrying about getting HIV (p<.10); for men, feeling safer with sex partners and social influence from friends to get vaccinated (p<.01) were motivators for immunization. Common motivators among men and women included perceived support from family members and spouse/primary partner for HIV immunization (p<.10). | ||||
| Discussion: Determinants of future HIV vaccine acceptability differ between low socioeconomic men and women. For women, interventions focused on improving healthcare experiences, fostering familial and partner support for HIV vaccination and building on motivations around childbirth may facilitate successful HIV vaccine dissemination. For men, interventions that address undue fears and misconceptions about vaccine-related adverse effects, that support the vaccines effectiveness, and that build peer and familial support for vaccination may facilitate successful dissemination. Tailored educational and social marketing messages and structural interventions that address gender-specific concerns and experiences may facilitate future uptake of an HIV vaccine. | ||||
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