© The Author(s) 2011

Because women represent nearly half of all new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS [UNAIDS], 2008), an HIV prevention method that can be initiated and poten-tially controlled by women is a global health necessity. Microbicides are products being developed to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of HIV. Even though several topical vaginal microbicides have reached effectiveness trials (AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, n.d.; Global Campaign for Microbicides, n.d.), only one has demon-strated promising results (Abdool Karim et al., 2010), and some trials have been marred by less-than-adequate adherence to study product use. As a result, incorporating behavioral research into clinical trials that can target adherence to and acceptability of products has been identified as “an utterly critical priority ” for microbicide development research (Microbicide Development Strat-egy [MDS] Working Groups, 2006, p.10). Because successful uptake and consistent use of these prevention products will be critical to their effectiveness and, ultimately, their impact on the HIV pandemic, behav-ioral and social scientists have explored and identified psychosocial factors hypothesized to be associated with user acceptability, willingness to use products, and other factors essential to consistent and correct microbicide use (AID