Defining Study Populations in HIV Prevention Implementation Science Studies: A Case Comparison of 3 Ending the HIV...

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Public Health
• HIV Prevention

Background:

• Implementation studies involve recipient populations benefiting from interventions and study populations contributing data.
• Defining inclusion criteria for study populations and deciding on recipient population inclusion significantly impacts study design.
• Case studies of HIV prevention implementation research highlight diverse study populations and decision-making processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present three case studies of HIV prevention implementation research.
• To describe the decision-making process for defining study populations.
• To share generalizable lessons for the field regarding study population selection.

Main Methods:

• Identified recipient and study populations for each case study.
• Described the decision-making process for inclusion/exclusion criteria.
• Assessed implications for measuring study aims.

Main Results:

• HIV prevention interventions focused on pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake and HIV testing across various clinical settings.
• Studies aimed to inform scale-up based on effectiveness, affordability, and feasibility.
• Decisions on study population inclusion were guided by context, strategies, and implementation outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Study context, strategies, and approaches are key considerations.
• Informed decisions on defining study populations are essential for successful measurement of study aims.
• Considerations for defining study populations can enhance the sustainability of implementation outcomes.