title: Challenges in Recruiting People Who Use Drugs for HIV-Related Biomedical Research: Perspectives from the Field.
abstract: Recruitment of people who use drugs (PWUD) for HIV-related research has been undertaken since early in the epidemic. In early studies, recruitment was often performed by outreach workers with familiarity with the target population, who distributed risk reduction materials, and administered the surveys being conducted on drug use and risk behaviors. The evolution of effective treatments for HIV has provided opportunities for PWUD to participate in biobehavioral studies testing the efficacy of medical treatment advances and exploring the underlying biomedical basis for prevention and treatment efforts. Recruitment for these studies has led to new challenges for outreach workers and institutions conducting this research. PWUD, particularly those from race/ethnic minority populations, have had lower rates of engagement in HIV care and have been underrepresented in HIV/AIDS medical studies. To address these health disparities, enhanced efforts are needed to increase their participation in biomedical studies. This article examines the challenges identified by experienced outreach workers in recruiting PWUD for HIV-related biomedical studies, including individual (participant)-, institutional-, and recruiter-level challenges, and provides recommendations for addressing them.
authors: 1 Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing , New York, New York.
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Batista
authors: 1 Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing , New York, New York.
authors: Sherry
authors: S
authors: Deren
authors: 2 Manhattan-Staten Island Area Health Education Center, Inc. , New York, New York.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Banfield
authors: 1 Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing , New York, New York.
authors: Evelyn
authors: E
authors: Silva
authors: 3 Harlem United , New York, New York.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Cruz
authors: 4 New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene , New York, New York.
authors: Preston
authors: P
authors: Garnes
authors: 1 Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing , New York, New York.
authors: Charles M
authors: CM
authors: Cleland
authors: 5 Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York, New York.
authors: Saurabh
authors: S
authors: Mehandru
authors: 6 Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and The Rockefeller University , New York, New York.
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: LaMar
authors: 6 Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and The Rockefeller University , New York, New York.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Markowitz
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D055030:Drug Users; D005006:Ethnicity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D018579:Patient Selection; D044469:Racial Groups; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations