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Missing Voices: add yours to our Women, HIV and clinical trials research project

20/08/2020

Have you ever been a participant in a HIV clinical research trial? Would you consider doing so in future? If you have been a part of a HIV treatment or health care trial, what were your experiences of the process? Would you be willing to share your views or thoughts about clinical research as part of an important research project?

You may have participated in studies, or perhaps chose not to because of concerns or difficulties. Your experiences may have been good or bad. We are trying to understand the experiences or thoughts about HIV clinical research, to gain insights into how future clinical trials, in particular those that focus in the crucial goal of a HIV cure, can be designed and set up in a way that is inclusive and understanding of women. We want to understand the potential barriers to participation in research, as well as what sorts of things encourage women to participate and affect women’s experiences.

Positive Women Victoria and the Australian Research Centre in Sex Health and Society are partners in the research, and want to speak to women living with HIV and health care practitioners about women’s views about, or experiences of, the research process.

Your perspective will provide valuable knowledge that will inform the development of strategies for increasing women’s engagement with HIV cure and other HIV clinical research.

Your participation will involve speaking to peer worker Heather Mugwagwa who will ask some questions. The conversation will last between 45 and 60 minutes. It may be conducted in English, or you may nominate the language of your choice and participate with the aid of an interpreter.

You can choose when you would like to speak with Heather — this interview will be conducted via Zoom due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions.

All the information obtained during your conversation with Heather will be strictly confidential, and you will not be able to be personally identified in the research or its publications.

As part of the study, the research team will also be talking to doctors who have supported women during clinical research.

To thank you for your time and participation, you will receive a $50 gift voucher.

To get in touch or talk more, email heather@positivewomen.org.au.

More information (PDF).