Venue-Based Recruitment of Women at Elevated Risk for HIV: An HIV Prevention Trials Network Study

Abstract

Background: The challenge of identifying and recruiting U.S. women at elevated risk for HIV acquisition impedes prevention studies and services. HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 064 was a U.S. multisite, longitudinal cohort study designed to estimate HIV incidence among women living in communities with prevalent HIV and poverty. Venue-based sampling (VBS) methodologies and participant and venue characteristics are described. Methods: Eligible women were recruited from 10 U.S. communities with prevalent HIV and poverty using VBS. Participant eligibility criteria included age 18-44 years, residing in a designated census tract/zip code, and self-report of at least one high-risk personal and/or male sexual partner characteristic associated with HIV acquisition (e.g., incarceration history). Ethnography was conducted to finalize recruitment areas and venues. Results: Eight thousand twenty-nine women were screened and 2,099 women were enrolled (88% black, median age 29 years) over 14 months. The majority of participants were recruited from outdoor venues (58%), retail spaces (18%), and social service organizations (13%). The proportion of women recruited per venue category varied by site. Most participants (73%) had both individual and partner characteristics that qualified them for the study; 14% were eligible based on partner risk only. Conclusion: VBS is a feasible and effective approach to rapidly recruit a population of women at enhanced risk for HIV in the United States. Such a recruitment approach is needed in order to engage women most at risk and requires strong community engagement.

Best Practices for Engaging Pregnant and Postpartum Women at Risk of Substance Use in Longitudinal Research Studies: a Qualitative Examination of Participant Preferences

“…Participants most often reported needs of support in areas of childcare, transportation, and being compensated for their time. These findings align well with previous research, as childcare and transportation needs tend to be more common among vulnerable populations (Dilworth-Anderson, 2011 ; Haley et al, 2014a , b ). As such, offering support in terms of transportation assistance and compensation could prove beneficial in terms of retention.…”

“…The most common methods for maintaining contact with participants throughout the 10-year study period that were recommended by participants were personal phone number, email, social media, and home address, in that order. While personal phone numbers can provide the most immediate access to an individual, mobile phone numbers have been found to change more often than other modes of contact, such as email or even social media accounts (Haley et al, 2014a , b ). Therefore, gathering as many contact modalities as possible, as well as contact information from two close friends or family members, can contribute to better participant tracing and retention rates (Haley et al, 2014a , b ; Nicholson et al, 2011 ).…”

Retention Strategies and Factors Associated with Missed Visits Among Low Income Women at Increased Risk of HIV Acquisition in the US (HPTN 064)

“…HPTN 064 was the first study to enroll women at risk of HIV acquisition in the US using venue-based sampling (VBS) exclusively. 32 Although recruitment of women from community-based settings has been identified as a possible barrier to retention in longitudinal cohort studies, the overall retention rate was 92%, demonstrating that it is possible to retain women at high risk for study discontinuation and at enhanced risk of HIV acquisition. HPTN 064 retention strategies were designed to engage the community, build trust with study participants, and to reduce external barriers to study participation.…”

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Mental Health over Time among Low-Income Women at Increased Risk of HIV in the U.S.

“…Venue-based sampling was used to recruit women who attended specific locations (e.g., retail stores, beauty parlors, parks) within the pre-defined geographic areas. 28 Because we sought a sample of adult women at high HIV risk, eligible individuals were 18 to 44 years of age, self-identified as women (transgender individuals were eligible), reported at least one episode of unprotected vaginal and/or anal sex with a man in the six months before enrollment, and had one or more self-reported personal or partner HIV risk characteristics (e.g., participant or partner in the last six months with a sexually transmitted infection, illicit drug use, binge alcohol drinking or dependence, sex exchange). Participants also had to be willing to undergo HIV rapid testing and receive HIV test results.…”