Leaving Nobody Out
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Leaving Nobody Out: a Mixed-Methods Study to Inform Implementation of Diverse and Representative Recruitment to HIV Clinical Studies at a Central London Clinic
IRAS ID
298515
Contact name
Julianne Lwanga
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
HIV research studies are vital to improve care to help people living with HIV (PLHIV) live longer, healthier lives. However, while the population of PLHIV is very diverse, most participants in studies are white and male. Because of this, study results might not be as applicable to women or people of other ethnicities. This makes it hard to choose the best treatment for an individual, and people may miss out on their optimal treatment if it is only available as part of a study. There are many reasons why some groups might not be represented in HIV studies, for example clinic staff may preferentially invite certain groups to take part and some groups may be more interested in or worried about participating in studies. This study aims to better understand what factors influence HIV research participation at one central London HIV clinic, and identify strategies that could help to support people from diverse backgrounds to participate in HIV research. To do this, we will first compare the demographics of people at the clinic who do and do not participate in studies, using anonymised data from medical records. We will then invite 20 patients, including patients who have underrepresented demographics and patients who are actively participating in research, to participate in a 30 minute virtual structured discussion to identify key barriers to and motivators of study participation. We will also invite all patients at the clinic to complete an anonymous survey about their thoughts on participating in studies. Using the information we gain from this survey and the structured discussions we will design strategies to better support people from diverse backgrounds to participate in HIV studies. This study is funded by the Isaac Schapera Award.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/YH/0296
Date of REC Opinion
16 Feb 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion