A baseline assessment for an HIV health services study recruited 626 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in New York city who participated in an interview querying social support, health status, substance use, and mental health. Data were modeled using hierarchical classes (HICLAS) analysis. HICLAS discriminated items reflecting general support and assistance vs. support from an important person in one's life who was named in addition to other family members and friends. HICLAS then identified respondents who reported that they had general support and assistance, support from an important person, both types, or neither type of support. Having one or more important persons as part of the respondent's social network was associated with more positive mental (but not physical) health than having only general support and assistance, or no support at all. Results argue for differentiating support obtained through one's relationship with an important person.

Despite substantial data documenting the challenges in recruiting racial and ethnic minorities into research studies, relatively little is known about the attitudes and beliefs toward research that are held by racial and ethnic minorities living with HIV/AIDS. The present study assessed the research attitudes and beliefs of a racially and ethnically diverse group of persons living with HIV/AIDS, with research broadly defined as either psychosocial, behavioral, or clinical. Also assessed were factors that would encourage or discourage them from participating in a research study. Six hundred twenty-two participants were recruited from 22 points of service in New York City; data were gathered through a single in-person structured interview conducted in Spanish or English. Findings from a series of quantitative analyses indicated that attitudes about research were primarily neutral or positive, and different attitude and belief patterns were associated with different preferences regarding what would or would not incline one to participate in a research study. Results suggest that minorities with HIV/AIDS are open to the possibility participating in research; however, they also suggest that receptivity to research may not be uniform and indicated a variety of specific research design and implementation options that investigators should consider in order to ensure sufficient access and interest in participation.