Knowledge and attitudes towards HIV vaccines among Soweto adolescents

To explore adolescent HIV risk perception, HIV vaccine knowledge, willingness to participate in future HIV vaccine clinical trials, and the factors that influence willingness to participate among high school students in Soweto, South Africa, we recruited school-going youth through randomly selected local high schools. All pupils within the selected schools from whom parental consent and child assent could be obtained were eligible for participation. A self-administered, facilitated questionnaire was completed by all participants.

Perception of adolescent HIV risk was high. Some misconceptions regarding vaccine research were common, particularly regarding placebo and potential eligibility criteria for prophylactic vaccine trials. Of 240 responses to the willingness item, 84 (35%) indicated they were "probably willing" and 126 (52.5%) that they were "definitely willing to participate". There were no significant differences in willingness by gender, age, school grade, or institution. Factors that were rated as "very important" in determining willingness included receiving current information about HIV research [n = 201 (88.9%)], doing something to honour people who have HIV or have died of AIDS [n = 168 (70.9%)], getting free counselling and testing [n = 167 (70.5)], that participants may receive some protection against HIV infection from the vaccine [n = 160 (70.2%)], and improving motivation to avoid risky behaviour [n = 134 (59%)].

Soweto school-going youth report high degrees of willingness to participate in HIV vaccine trials. This may be related to the high levels of adolescent HIV risk perception. Whether hypothetical willingness translates to participation will await data from adolescent HIV vaccine trials.