DC CFAR Investigator, Mimi Ghosh, PhD, MS, along with her colleagues has published an article in AJRI entitled, "Challenges in conducting research on sexual violence and HIV and approaches to overcome them".
This article discusses methodological challenges encountered and solutions explored while implementing a study of dysregulation of immune biomarkers potentially indicative of increased HIV susceptibility in women following sexual assault. Challenges included accessing sexual assault survivors and defining sexual assault, promoting study participant well-being during research engagement, reducing selection and information bias, collecting and processing biological samples, and adjusting for confounders such as reproductive tract infections and emotional and physical abuse. Well-trained research staff and well-articulated community and medical partnerships were key methods to overcoming challenges while promoting the safety and welfare of vulnerable study participants.
Click here to read the full article.