Lessons Learned from Implementing the SHIELD Intervention: A Peer Education Intervention for People Who Use Drugs

HIV prevention and care peer education interventions have demonstrated effectiveness at changing HIV risk and care behaviors among a variety of at-risk populations in different settings. However, little is known about the implementation of this type of intervention in community-based settings. Further, there is limited information available regarding the facilitators and barriers to implementing peer education interventions in community-based settings. In this study, we explore implementation facilitators, barriers, and strategies to overcome these barriers among 12 organizations that implemented the SHIELD intervention, an evidenced-based peer education intervention for people who use drugs. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we identified several facilitators and barriers at the outer, inner individuals, and intervention level of the implementation process. Future evidence-based public health programs should, in addition to addressing effectiveness, be relevant to the needs and lives of clients.