Successful community HIV vaccine research education with consumer leaders

Issue(s) According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006, there was an estimated 1,106,400 living with HIV, with 21% undiagnosed. Approximately 56,300 people were newly infected that year. Although there is an abundance of information about HIV vaccine research and other biomedical HIV prevention interventions, at risk and infected individuals remain uninformed. Description Building upon the strength of its ten-year-old flagship consumer leadership program, a national AIDS organization partnered with several program graduates to conduct local HIV vaccine educational session in communities across the nation. With support from a national vaccine research initiative, training content included vaccine basics as well as strategies to reduce and diminish fears that are common in the graduates' communities of origin. Through the leadership program graduates, who had expertise as trainers and intrinsic familiarity with their local community, the initiative was able to successfully disseminate HIV Vaccine education. Lessons Learned This year, more than 10 leadership program graduates reached approximately 325 individuals. The culturally competent graduates increased the understanding of HIV research development and clinical trial participation to other consumers. Community perceptions and knowledge increases were measured by trainer self-assessment evaluations and participant workshop evaluation forms. Recommendations A peer-lead approach to community-level HIV vaccine education can increase awareness of and support for HIV vaccine research. This hopefully will translate into an increasingly diverse and representative study population, including at-risk women and youth.