Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30342510›Full record

ArticleBMC women's health2018

Qualitative exploration of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence acceptability of semisoft vaginal suppositories.

Toral Zaveri, Kimberly A Powell, Kate M Guthrie, Alyssa J Bakke, Gregory R Ziegler, John E Hayes

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC women's health, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Vaginal Sheets withGels (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Toral ZaveriSensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Kimberly A PowellCollege of Education, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Kate M GuthrieCenters for Behavioral & Preventive Medicine, the Miriam Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA.
Alyssa J BakkeSensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Gregory R ZieglerDepartment of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
John E HayesSensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. jeh40@psu.edu.

Funding

Designing Optimal Microbicide Delivery Integrating Rheology and AcceptabilityR33AI094514 · NIAID · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE · PI HAYES, JOHN EDWARD · 2013 to 2015
$1.3M
Designing optimal microbicide delivery integrating rheology and acceptabilityR21AI094514 · NIAID · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE · PI HAYES, JOHN EDWARD, ZIEGLER, GREGORY RAY · 2011 to 2012
$390k
NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI094514NIAID NIH HHS R33 AI094514
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVaginal microbicides are a promising means to prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, by empowering women to initiate use prophylactically when they perceive themselves to be at risk. However, in clinical trials, microbicides have shown mixed results, with the consistent finding that effectiveness varies substantially as a function of user adherence.

methodsBased on the assumption that adherence is driven, at least in part, by product properties that influence acceptability, we used softgel technology to develop vaginal drug delivery systems in the intermediate texture space between solids and liquids to overcome potential shortcomings of current dosage forms. Here, we used focus groups and surveys to determine women's initial reactions (i.e., acceptance and willingness-to-try) for semisoft vaginal suppositories intended for HIV and STI prevention, with a specific focus on how perception of and preferences for vaginal suppositories may be influenced by product characteristics such as size, shape, and firmness.

resultsVia focus groups, we identified intrinsic and extrinsic factors relevant to acceptability of semisoft suppository prototypes. Willingness-to-try depended on factors like intended functionality, anticipated leakage, type of sex, recommended frequency of use, type of sexual partner, and perceived risk. When handled ex vivo, shape, size, and firmness of suppositories communicated information about ease of imagined insertion and handling, perceived effectiveness, anticipated awareness and comfort of the product in the body. These impressions were partly based on prior experience with vaginal products.

conclusionsSensory attributes appear to play a substantial role in women's preferences and willingness to try the semisoft suppositories. Using these methods during preclinical development should help efficiently optimize a final product that is both biologically efficacious and preferred by women, toward a goal of enhancing adherence and effectiveness.

Indexed as

Drug MonitoringAdministration, IntravaginalAdolescentAdultAnti-Infective AgentsFemaleFocus GroupsHIV InfectionsHumansMedication AdherenceMiddle AgedSexually Transmitted DiseasesSuppositoriesSurveys and QuestionnairesWomenYoung AdultAnti-Infective AgentsSuppositoriesAcceptabilityAdherenceFocus groupsFormulationFormulation developmentHIVSensory attributesSexually transmitted infectionsVaginal microbicides

Identifiers

PMID30342510
PMCPMC6195955

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.