NYU Researchers Tackle Racial/Ethnic Disparities in HIV Medical Studies
First social/behavioral intervention to address under-representation of African Americans and Latinos in AIDS clinical trials
A New York University College of Nursing (NYUCN) research team found that a social/behavioral intervention vastly increased the number of African American and Latino individuals living with HIV/AIDS who enrolled in HIV/AIDS medical studies. The intervention, designed by researchers at the NYUCN’s Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR), found that nine out of ten participants who were found eligible for studies decided to enroll, compared to zero participants among a control group.
The study, called “ACT2,” addresses a long-recognized problem: the racial/ethnic groups most affected by HIV are chronically under-represented in HIV/AIDS medical research. While 50% of all people living with HIV/AIDS are African American/Black, they comprise a mere 30% of those enrolled in HIV/AIDS medical studies. Likewise, Latinos are also under-represented in such studies in many settings. This lack of proportional representation raises a number of questions, including about the applicability of medical research findings to the groups most affected by HIV/AIDS. Read More