title: Engaging, recruiting, and retaining black men who have sex with men in research studies: don't underestimate the importance of staffing--lessons learned from HPTN 061, the BROTHERS study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV/AIDS in the United States continues to primarily impact men who have sex with men (MSM), with disproportionately high rates among black MSM.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify factors that may influence engagement and retention of black MSM in HIV research.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a qualitative evaluation of study implementation within a multisite, prospective, observational study (HIV Prevention Trials Network 061, BROTHERS) that enrolled 1553 black MSM in 6 cities throughout the United States. Data collection for this evaluation included a written, structured survey collected from each of the sites describing site characteristics including staff and organizational structure, reviews of site standard operating procedures, and work plans; semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with site coordinators to characterize staffing, site-level factors facilitating or impeding effective community engagement, study recruitment, and retention. Data from completed surveys and site standard operating procedures were collated, and notes from key informant interviews were thematically coded for content by 2 independent reviewers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several key themes emerged from the data, including the importance of inclusion of members of the community being studied as staff, institutional hiring practices that support inclusive staffing, cultivating a supportive working environment for study implementation, and ongoing relationships between research institutions and community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study underscores the importance of staffing in implementing research with black MSM. Investigators should consider how staffing and organizational structures affect implementation during study design and when preparing to initiate study activities. Ongoing monitoring of community engagement can inform and improve methods for engagement and ensure cultural relevance while removing barriers for participation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, District of Columbia (Dr Magnus); ICAP, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York (Dr Franks); FHI 360, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Mr Griffith); San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, California (Dr Arnold); Project ACHIEVE/New York Blood Center, New York, New York (Ms Goodman); and Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois (Dr Wheeler). Dr Arnold is now with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington. Ms Goodman is now with Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California.
authors.forename: Manya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnus
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Darrell P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult