# Perception of healthcare professionals about the knowledge of people living with HIV regarding clinical trials for HIV-related cancers

## TL;DR

Healthcare professionals believe people with HIV have limited knowledge about cancer clinical trials, which may affect their participation.

## Contribution

The study reveals healthcare professionals' perceptions of knowledge gaps among people living with HIV regarding clinical trials for HIV-related cancers.

## Key findings

- Most healthcare professionals believe PLWH have limited knowledge about HIV-related cancers and clinical trials.
- Fear of the unknown and stigma are perceived barriers to participation in clinical trials.
- Training activities are suggested to improve awareness and participation among PLWH.

## Abstract

Advances in HIV treatments have prolonged the lifespan of people living with HIV (PLWH), thereby increasing the risk of chronic conditions such as HIV-related cancers. Clinical trials (CT) play an important role in advancing cancer care in PLWH. However, their underrepresentation in CT underscores the need for involvement of healthcare professionals in CT referrals. This study aims to describe healthcare professionals’ perception of PLWH understanding of CT for HIV-related cancers.

We analyzed survey data from a training activity provided to healthcare professionals (n = 82) from HIV-specialized clinics and other healthcare organizations in Puerto Rico to assess healthcare professionals’ perception of PLWH knowledge regarding CT for HIV-related cancers.

Most participants were allied healthcare professionals (39.0%) or social services professionals (43.9%), with 70.8% having 1–15 years of experience caring for PLWH. Most participants believed that PLWH had limited knowledge about HIV-related cancers (65.8%) and CT for these cancers (59.8%). Nearly a quarter (23.1%) of healthcare professionals reported hearing expressions of fear regarding CT from PLWH. Conversely, almost half (49.4%) heard positive comments or experiences about participating in CT. The training activity did not include physicians. Perceived barriers for participation of PLWH in CT, according to the healthcare professionals, included fear of the unknown (48.8%), stigma associated with the participation in HIV-related clinical trials (43.9%), and lack of knowledge (42.7%).

According to healthcare professionals, the participation of PLWH in HIV-related clinical trials could be affected by limited knowledge or awareness about their benefits. Training activities are needed to increase awareness, knowledge and improve the participation of PLWH in HIV-related CT.

Not applicable.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-23137-w.