Fuller, SS; (2014) Engaging Young Men in Biomedical HIV Prevention Research: Lessons From a Community-based Study in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Background: Recent advances in biomedical HIV prevention highlight the importance of successfully engaging male participants, yet previous participant engagement methods have had mixed results. Participatory research and collaborative community development methods of engagement focus on the importance of culture and community and have been successful for engaging participants in research. However, these methods have not been used to engage male participants in biomedical HIV prevention intervention studies in the global south. Methods: The Impilo Yamadoda: Men’s Health Study is presented as a case study to explore use of a “strategic community engagement method” based on theories of participatory research and collaborative community development to engage young Zulu-speaking men in a multi-phase HIV prevention intervention in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This engagement method included the identification, recruitment, and training of local volunteers (Research Partners). Research Partners were responsible for: recruitment and implementation of a brief community based men’s health survey; collaborative planning of experimental phase recruitment (N=200) with researchers. Qualitative interviews with Research Partners (N=6) and participants (N=83; 8 focus groups, 20 interviews) were explored alongside analysis of the design, methods, and results of the Impilo Yamadoda study. Results: Research Partners were expected to collect ~300 (7/day) surveys; N=735 (12.9/day) were returned. Analysis of questionnaires confirmed data quality. Similar recruitment methods were used in the biomedical phase; 95.3% (223/234) of participants completed enrolment, including a behavioural questionnaire, blood sample, and randomisation. Discussion: Research Partners discussed the importance of community-level incentives to participants’ decisions to engage in research during their training programme, which was confirmed through analysis of qualitative interviews and focus groups with participants. These findings suggest that methods of participant engagement such as the strategic community engagement method used in the Impilo Yamadoda study could be used to successfully engage participants in future biomedical HIV prevention studies in the global south.

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