Identifying HIV/AIDS research priorities for the next millennium: a Delphi study with nurses in AIDS care

The purpose of this study was to identify HIV/AIDS research priorities for the next millennium from the perspective of nurses in AIDS care. The study used a three-round Delphi technique, with study participants (the panel of experts) selected from the membership of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. In the first round of the Delphi study, 317 nurses identified more than 2,000 topics they viewed as important for overall HIV/AIDS research and for HIV/AIDS nursing research. Using qualitative analysis, 12 priority topics were generated in the overall research category and 12 priority topics in the nursing research category. In Round II of the Delphi survey, study participants ranked the 12 topics in categories (overall and nursing research priorities) identified in Round I. Finally, in Round III, the top five priority topics from Round II were prioritized in each category. The overall HIV/AIDS research topics identified were (a) HIV community-level education and prevention; (b) development of more tolerable drugs; (c) HIV prevention focusing on individual or specific group behavior; (d) vaccine development; and (e) development of new and more effective drugs. The HIV/AIDS nursing research priorities identified were (a) symptom management; (b) community-level HIV education and prevention; (c) quality of life issues in chronic HIV disease; (d) HIV prevention focusing on individual or specific group behavior; and (e) research related to adherence to drug therapy.