SUNY Downstate Researchers Publish Groundbreaking Study on HIV Research Participation Among Marginalized Communities
By Office of Communications & Marketing | Jun 24, 2024
The Study, Published in AIDS and Behavior, Will Help Researchers Develop Culturally Inclusive Recruitment Methods for Future HIV Studies
BROOKLYN, NY– SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University today announced the publication of new research from the Special Treatment and Research (STAR) Program in AIDS and Behavior, a peer-reviewed journal published by Springer. The study, Personality Traits and eHealth Study Enrollment Among Racial and Sexual Minoritized Men Living with HIV, analyzed the role of personality traits in HIV study participation among Black and Latinx sexual minority men.
The study—spearheaded by STAR’s Sabina Hirshfield, MA, PhD, José E. Diaz, PhD, and Portia Thomas, DNSc, RN-CNE, MPH (formerly at STAR)—aims to bolster inclusivity in HIV research by evaluating the effect of certain personality traits on the decision to enroll in an HIV study. Dr. Hirshfield was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct this research between 2014 and 2018, and continued her work on the study after joining SUNY Downstate in 2018.
"To achieve more equitable healthcare outcomes for marginalized communities, it is crucial that we strive for inclusivity in all approaches to research and treatment." said Dr. Hirshfield. "Our findings will inform future recruitment and engagement strategies as researchers across the country work to tailor recruitment strategies for diverse cultural contexts. We look forward to seeing more equitable healthcare outcomes in Brooklyn and beyond as a result of these important findings.”
There is a known enrollment gap in eHealth studies among Black and Latinx sexual minority men. To better understand these participation discrepancies, Hirshfield and her colleagues recruited potential study participants via social media platforms, LGBTQ+ dating apps, and other websites. Potential participants were directed to the online study screener, and using the Big Five Inventory 10-Item Scale, researchers analyzed personality differences between individuals who completed the study enrollment and those who did not.
This study builds on prior research seeking to understand how to best recruit and engage racial and ethnic sexual minority men. Earlier studies have sought to assess socio-ecological factors that contribute to lower enrollment rates among Black and Latinx sexual minority men, such as medical mistrust and a lack of inclusivity in recruitment materials. However, this study fills a critical gap in prior research by examining how the Big Five personality traits influence the decision to enroll in a study. Researchers found that among Latinx sexual minority men, an individual’s degree of neuroticism and openness played a role in the likelihood of study participation. These findings will shape future engagement strategies as researchers seek to close the participation gap among Black and Latinx sexual minority men.
The full study is available in the June edition of AIDS and Behavior, and can be accessed here.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.