Mentoring in Qualitative Methods for Patient-Oriented Research on HIV Care

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请中描述的活动的长期目标是在以患者为导向的研究（K24）中获得职业中期研究者奖，目的是通过使用定性方法改善对艾滋病毒/艾滋病的行为和社会研究。为此，我提出了一个为期五年的指导和研究计划，采用定性方法对撒哈拉以南非洲地区的艾滋病毒/艾滋病进行社会和行为研究。具体目标是：（1）指导学生，博士后研究员，初级教师和其他合格的研究人员在美国和非洲谁将使用定性方法在行为和社会艾滋病毒/艾滋病研究;和（2）进行比较，定性研究正在进行的方法，以扩大艾滋病毒/艾滋病治疗和护理从医院为基础的诊所到非洲社区（这里称为“向外扩展”）。该方案将在美国马萨诸塞州剑桥的哈佛大学、尼日利亚乔斯的乔斯大学和坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆的穆欣比利卫生和联合科学大学进行。在所有三个机构的资源基础上，指导计划包括一对一的指导会议;在所有三个国家通过视频会议提供的定性方法，研究设计和论文写作研讨会;网络会议，将使美国和非洲的学员在真实的时间聚集在一起;和正式的评估。该研究计划将艾滋病毒护理的保留视为患者不得不长途跋涉以保持诊所预约所造成的访问问题，调查正在进行的努力，以减少距离障碍，使护理更接近患者的家。拟议的定性研究将记录和分析这些努力在尼日利亚和坦桑尼亚实施的过程，并调查其对患者护理体验的影响。其结果将为今后在世界各地开展扩大工作提供参考。 公共卫生相关性：定性方法非常适合于了解患者的经验，并在新的调查领域取得突破，但迄今为止，在公共卫生研究中的代表性不足。拟议的指导和研究计划将使未来的公共卫生研究人员能够设计和开展定性研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of the activities described in this application for a Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) is to improve behavioral and social research on HIV/AIDS through the use of qualitative methods. To this end, I propose a five-year program of mentoring and research using qualitative methods for social and behavioral research on HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Specific goals are to: (1) mentor students, postdoctoral fellows, junior faculty, and other qualified investigators in the U.S. and Africa who will use qualitative methods in behavioral and social HIV/AIDS research; and (2) conduct a comparative, qualitative study of ongoing approaches to expanding HIV/AIDS treatment and care from hospital-based clinics into African communities (here termed "scale-out"). The program will take place at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Jos University, Jos, Nigeria; and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Building upon resources at all three institutions, the mentoring program includes one-on-one mentoring sessions; seminars on qualitative methods, research design, and manuscript-writing made available through video-conferencing in all three countries; networking conferences that will bring U.S. and African-based mentees together in real time; and a formal evaluation. Framing retention in HIV care as an access problem created by the long distances patients have had to travel to keep clinic appointments, the research program investigates ongoing efforts to reduce the distance barrier and bring care closer to patients' homes. The proposed qualitative study will document and analyze the processes through which these efforts are being implemented in Nigeria and Tanzania, and investigate their impact on patient experiences of care. Results will inform future efforts to implement scale-out as they unfold around the world. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Qualitative methods are ideally suited to understanding patient experience and breaking ground in new areas of inquiry but to date have been underrepresented in research on public health. The proposed program of mentoring and research will equip future public health researchers to design and carry out qualitative studies.