DIFFERENCES IN PARTICIPATION IN EXPERIMENTAL DRUG TRIALS AMONG PERSONS WITH AIDS

To measure participation in experimental drug trials among persons wit h acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), we interviewed 4,604 pers ons at least 18 years of age who were reported to have AIDS to 11 stat e and city health departments in the United States. Ten percent report ed that they were currently in a trial. Current enrollment differed si gnificantly (p < 0.05) by race/ethnicity (blacks, 5%; whites, 14%; His panics, 15%), gender (women, 7%; men, 11%), exposure mode (injection d rug use, 5%, men who have sex with men, 14%), annual household income (<$10,000, 8%, greater than or equal to$10,000, 14%), education (<12 y ears, 6%; greater than or equal to 12 years, 12%), health care (no reg ular care, 1%, public care, 8%; private care, 17%), and time since AID S diagnosis (less than or equal to 6 months, 9%; >6 months, 12%). Adju sting for all factors and time since AIDS diagnosis, blacks (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26, 0.47), per sons with less than 12 years of education (AOR = 0.71, CI 0.53, 0.96), and those without regular health care (AOR = 0.24, CI 0.10, 0.61) rem ained less likely to be in a trial. Blacks, those with less than 12 ye ars of education, and persons without regular health care were less li kely than other persons with AIDS to be currently enrolled in AIDS tri als. To increase enrollment of these persons, researchers must address barriers to participation for these groups.