The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will soon begin  behavioural and social science research on microbicides for HIV prevention. Microbicides are anti-microbial topical products that reduce the risk of sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted pathogens and could potentially offer Indian women safe, effective, acceptable and affordable protection against this deadly disease.

The broad areas of research will cover several specific research topics  pertaining to behavioural and socio science research on microbicides.

It will focus on studies to develop insights into regional/cultural variations in India in the understanding of the concept of women controlled options for health safety, protection and prevention, and the influencing factors namely gender norms, values, social attitudes and perceptions in the acceptance and use of such options.

It will also focus on? user oriented community based research to identify the need for women controlled options, beliefs around protection from infections and unwanted pregnancies, and barriers/facilitators in relation to adoption of women controlled options among both men and women. Another aspect of the study will be to understand the role of product attributes (nature, form, colour, etc) in acceptability of the product among potential users.

The study on microbicides will also focus on the role of individual socio-behavioural and contextual factors, risk perception of married/ unmarried/ high risk group, stage of life, age, relationship, socio-cultural aspects in understanding acceptability of microbicides adherence, and development of conceptually and methodologically sound (reliable & valid) tools for need assessment, product acceptance and adherence measurement in relation to microbicides/other women initiated prevention options.

Other focused areas of the study include: behavioural intervention studies to enhance adherence; studies using theoretical models of strategies to motivate for adherence including counselling intervention/behavioural interventions; studies to bring out issues pertaining to protection in context of family planning, notion of women-controlled protection option and its need among them; service delivery and health system research in context of microbicides; and advocacy, communication and policy research.

The ICMR has invited concept proposals from interested and eligible scientists for the research on these and other specific research topics pertaining to behavioural and socio science research on microbicides.