From (Un)Willingness to InvolveMENt: Development of a Successful Study Brand for Recruitment of Diverse MSM to a Longitudinal HIV Research

Abstract

Background HIV continues to be a major concern among MSM, yet Black MSM have not been enrolled in HIV research studies in proportionate numbers to White MSM. We developed an HIV prevention research brand strategy for MSM. Methods Questionnaires and focus groups were conducted with 54 participants. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were performed and qualitative data were transcribed and content analyzed to identify common themes. Results Formative research results indicated that younger Black MSM (18–29 years) were less likely to think about joining prevention studies compared to older (≥30 years) Black MSM (x2 = 5.92, P = 0.015). Qualitative and quantitative results indicate four prominent themes related to brand development: (1) communication sources (message deliverer), (2) message (impact of public health messaging on perceptions of HIV research), (3) intended audience (underlying issues that influence personal relevance of HIV research), and (4) communication channels (reaching intended audiences). Conclusion The findings highlight the importance of behavioral communication translational research to effectively engage hard-to-reach populations. Despite reservations, MSM in our formative study expressed a need for active involvement and greater education to facilitate their engagement in HIV prevention research. Thus, the brand concept of “InvolveMENt” emerged.

Child school injury in Lebanon: A study to assess injury incidence, severity and risk factors

“…consistent with similar school injury studies in the region namely, that 'Fall' injuries are the most common mechanism, particularly among boys of a young age [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22].…”

“…Relative to other regional studies, this study estimated a school injury rate of 419/1000, which is comparable to rates suggested by Eastern Mediterranean countries, including Jordan (437/1000), Egypt (385/1000), Oman (263/1000), and UAE (307/1000) [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21], retrieved from the Global School-Based Students Health Survey (GSBHS). Findings from this study are https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233465.g001…”

“…Limited research has explored child injuries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and few have examined the nature, extent and risk factors of school-based injuries in particular [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Among regional studies, the most commonly reported school injury type was a fracture, with the most prevalent injury cause being fall, sustained mainly by boys of younger age.…”

“…Among regional studies, the most commonly reported school injury type was a fracture, with the most prevalent injury cause being fall, sustained mainly by boys of younger age. Bullying, fights and physical attacks were also experienced by school children regionally [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. In Lebanon, school-based injuries have received less attention in the injury research literature.…”

Condom use during COVID-19: Findings from an Australian sample of heterosexual young adults

“…Ultimately, fatigued recipients are at risk of forgoing the advice of these health campaigns. Condom use has already been identified as one health guideline negatively impacted by message fatigue ( Frew et al, 2013 , So et al, 2017 ). The introduction of additional health guidelines likely risks accelerating fatigue.…”