Leaving Nobody Out: a Mixed-Methods Study to Inform Implementation of Diverse and Representative Recruitment to HIV Clinical Studies at a Central London Clinic

Study description and population to be studied:

Researchers will employ Implementation Science methodology to understand and act upon the determinants of representation in HIV clinical studies in order to improve the diversity of study recruitment at the central London clinic-embedded research unit such that it better represents the clinic population. The setting is the Harrison Wing service: a specialist outpatient service for over 3500 people living with HIV based at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. This study will evaluate the extent and characteristics of study underrepresentation in the context of our clinic; identify and engage key stakeholder communities including both patients and clinicians, and collaboratively design a strategy to facilitate uptake of diverse recruitment and diverse participation using participatory methods.

Rationale and potential benefits of this study:

The demographic characteristics of participants in HIV clinical studies do not match those of the wider population of people living with HIV (PLHIV), from clinic-level to global scales.

Women and ethnic minorities are chronically underrepresented. Those at the intersections including ethnic minority or socially excluded women have particularly low participation rates.