Abstract

During the last 2 decades, great strides have been made in the development of preventive and therapeutic interventions against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), including more effective antiretroviral regimens and the introduction of pre- and postexposure prophylaxis.¹ Efforts to achieve a substantial and sustained decline in the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the United States have largely failed, however,² and healthcare disparities have been recognized as one of the key reasons for this failure. It is intrinsically required for clinical research to evaluate a diverse population because this helps in understanding the differences in responses to interventions and thus facilitates successful and wider implementation.³ Nonetheless, racial/ethnic and sex disparities among people living with HIV/AIDS have limited the participation of minorities in clinical trials and access to experimental medications.^3,4 For example, in 2010 approximately 44% of new HIV infections occurred in African Americans, but their participation in HIV vaccine trials was only 10% to 22%.³ Other studies have suggested that women and illicit drug users also may be significantly less likely than others to participate in HIV/AIDS clinical research⁴; however, the literature on regional differences in clinical research participation among individuals with HIV/AIDS remains scarce.