title: Recruitment and retention of women in fishing communities in HIV prevention research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women in fishing communities in Uganda are more at risk and have higher rates of HIV infection. Socio-cultural gender norms, limited access to health information and services, economic disempowerment, sexual abuse and their biological susceptibility make women more at risk of infection. There is need to design interventions that cater for women's vulnerability. We explore factors affecting recruitment and retention of women from fishing communities in HIV prevention research.
  
  
  METHODS
  An HIV incidence cohort screened 2074 volunteers (1057 men and 1017 women) aged 13-49 years from 5 fishing communities along Lake Victoria using demographic, medical history, risk behaviour assessment questionnaires.1000 HIV negative high risk volunteers were enrolled and followed every 6 months for 18 months. Factors associated with completion of study visits among women were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women constituted 1,017(49%) of those screened, and 449(45%) of those enrolled with a median (IQR) age of 27 (22-33) years. Main reasons for non-enrolment were HIV infection (33.9%) and reported low risk behaviour (37.5%). A total of 382 (74%) women and 332 (69%) men completed all follow up visits. Older women (>24 yrs) and those unemployed, who had lived in the community for 5 years or more, were more likely to complete all study visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women had better retention rates than men at 18 months. Strategies for recruiting and retaining younger women and those who have stayed for less than 5 years need to be developed for improved retention of women in fishing communities in HIV prevention and research Programs.
authors.affiliation: UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ssetaala
authors.affiliation: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakiyingi-Miiro
authors.affiliation: University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA ; Kabwohe Clinical Reserach Center(KCRC), Kabwohe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asiimwe
authors.affiliation: UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Annet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nanvubya
authors.affiliation: UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mpendo
authors.affiliation: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda.
authors.forename: Gershim
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asiki
authors.affiliation: International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), New York, USA.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: UVRI-IAVI HIV Vaccine Program, Entebbe, Uganda ; Makerere College of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Makerere, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiwanuka
authors.affiliation: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seeley
authors.affiliation: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda.
authors.forename: Anatoli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamali
authors.affiliation: MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Uganda.
authors.forename: Pontiano
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaleebu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005398:Fisheries; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV; Women; fishing communities; prevention; recruitment; research; retention