Vaccine characteristics and acceptability of HIV immunization among adolescents

HIV immunization programmes will only be effective if sufficient numbers of persons accept the vaccine. Our aims were to evaluate HIV vaccine acceptab ility among adolescents and to examine how vaccine characteristics influenc e acceptability. We recruited 661 adolescents from community health clinics in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA to complete either written or computerized q uestionnaires, both of which assessed HIV vaccine acceptability as a functi on of efficacy, cost, type of vaccine, mode of delivery, and parental permi ssion for immunization (required or not required). For both the written and computer methods, efficacy had the strongest effec t on acceptability, followed by type of vaccine and cost. Low efficacy, hig h cost, and live-attenuated vaccines were associated with lower acceptabili ty. These findings suggest that as efforts to develop HIV vaccines continue, it will be important, in parallel, to anticipate potential obstacles to vacci ne acceptance, including the belief that a less efficacious HIV vaccine is unacceptable.