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Ann Clin Trials Vaccines Res. 2017 | Volume 1 Issue 2
allied
academies
Global Vaccines & Vaccination Summit & B2B
November 01-02, 2017 | Toronto, Canada
Introduction:
One of the challenges HIV vaccine researchers
face is the grapplewith the practical need to recruit, engage and
sustain the research participants in the HIV vaccine trials and a
broader social good regarding the safety of the participants and
community perception on clinical research. Understanding the
disjunction between the study concepts and participants level
of clinical research literacy will pave the way for a successful
HIV vaccine research. A meaningful and extensive engagement
of the community is not only dependent on how researchers
address the challenges associated with the participants’
protection and involvement but also their engagement in the
research process. Community engagement on HIV vaccine
unearths salient implication of the research, with the potential
to inform HIV prevention and treatment policy frameworks.
Purpose:
This study aims to identify how the meaningful
community engagement in HIV vaccine research affects the
vaccine trial outcomes among the MSM in Kenya.
Methodology:
The study was qualitative. Kenya Medical
Research Institute (KEMRI) researchers were engaged as key
informants. The MSM, who are volunteers to the trials, also
responded to questionnaires.
Findings:
The study established that men who have sex with
men (MSM) and those livingwithHIV in particular, face rampant
discrimination and high levels of social stigma. For a long time,
such situations compounded the challenges of the disclosure
which have significant effects on their participation in the HIV
vaccine trials. However, there was a gradual realization of some
change in perception among the trial participants after research
literacy training by the KEMRI.
Conclusion & Significance:
Research on HIV vaccine is,
therefore, an investment whose benefits transcends a promise
of prevention and should uphold community engagement
strategies. In Kenya, the vaccine science contributes to an
array of research driven discoveries; and such breakthrough
incrementally empowers the HIV affected communities to a
new narrative, which allows their voices to influence health
care policies. Recommendations are made to researchers to
engage the community.
Speaker Biography
S Louise Cosby was appointed as Head of Virology Branch at the Agri-Food and
Kelvin Owange Otieno is a Community Healthcare Consultant with inclination on
Social Research. He has extensive experience in conducting research and training on
organizational capacity, particularly on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. His experience in
psychosocial development has positioned him to work in multisectoral setups including
mental hospitals, rehabilitation centers and leading social research institutions in
Kenya. He is passionate about creating a nexus between medical research and social
research and further making medical research language more palatable to the end-
user. He is currently developing curriculum guiding food producers on the production
of healthy foods in Kenya.
e:
kelvinwange@gmail.comKelvin Owange Otieno
AmortiMORE Africa, Kenya
Community engagement in HIV vaccine research as a treatment strategy among men
who have sex with men (MSM)