Rodney J. Carter, LGSW, Public Health, MPH/DrPH Program, Morgan State University School of Graduate Studies and Research, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane Jenkins 343, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 24251, 443-885-3238, rod376@msn.com, Rena G. Boss-Victoria, DrPH, MSN, RN, CNS, Public Health Program, Center for HIV Prevention Evaluation, Policy and Research, Morgan State University, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane, Jenkins Bldg, Room 343, Baltimore, MD 21251, Mian Bazle Hossain, MSC, MHS, PhD, MPH/DrPH Public Health Program, Morgan State University, 343 Jenkins Building, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251-0001, and Olugbemiga Ekundayo, MD, MPH, Public Health Program, Center for HIV Prevention Evaluation, Policy and Research, Morgan State University Public Health Program, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Jenkins 343, Baltimore, MD 21251.

Reports from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are a leading cause of death among US African-Americans age 25 and 44 years. African-Americans are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with alarming disparities between the African-American experience and those of other races. Preventive measures worldwide include the developing HIV vaccine. Some vaccine developers have reached phase 2 clinical trials. Current study results have been called to question due to sampling and other issues. Also, overall response to trial participation has been weak. The epidemic’s severity has made African-American participation in preventive efforts, including vaccine clinical trials, crucial. Participation is in part controlled by vaccine attitudes, knowledge and beliefs. The purpose of this study is to assess HIV vaccine trial participation attitudes, knowledge and beliefs of students attending three HBCUs. We use bi-variate analyses and multivariate regression, to assess knowledge, attitude and beliefs among HBCU students. Results, show students are unwilling to participate in preventive vaccine clinical trials due to African-Americans’ historical distrust of the research establishment, fear of stigma and of contracting disease from taking the vaccine. We recommend African-Americans be involved as researchers in vaccine clinical trials, health promoters and educators, with their own population-grown definitions and paradigms. These researchers should be in place-based research facilities within African-American communities. African-Americans should be exposed to research practice in training and capacity building.

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