A cross-sectional survey of potential factors, motivations, and barriers influencing research participation and retention among people who use drugs in the rural USA

Trials

Rhonda L. Alexander¹  April M. Young²  Kathryn E. Lancaster³  Morgan Brown³  Angela T. Hetrick³  Miriam R. Elman⁴  Elizabeth Needham Waddell⁵  P. Todd Korthuis⁵  Sarann Bielavitz⁵ 

[1] Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA;Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA;Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA;Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA;Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, USA;Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, USA;Department of Medicine, Section of Addiction Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA;

关键词: Rural;    Substance use;    Recruitment;    Opioid;    Injection drug use;    Participant retention;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13063-021-05919-w

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundDespite high morbidity and mortality among people who use drugs (PWUD) in rural America, most research is conducted within urban areas. Our objective was to describe influencing factors, motivations, and barriers to research participation and retention among rural PWUD.MethodsWe recruited 255 eligible participants from community outreach and community-based, epidemiologic research cohorts from April to July 2019 to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Eligible participants reported opioid or injection drug use to get high within 30 days and resided in high-needs rural counties in Oregon, Kentucky, and Ohio. We aggregated response rankings to identify salient influences, motivations, and barriers. We estimated prevalence ratios to assess for gender, preferred drug use, and geographic differences using log-binomial models.ResultsMost participants were male (55%) and preferred methamphetamine (36%) over heroin (35%). Participants reported confidentiality, amount of financial compensation, and time required as primary influential factors for research participation. Primary motivations for participation include financial compensation, free HIV/HCV testing, and contribution to research. Changed or false participant contact information and transportation are principal barriers to retention. Respondents who prefer methamphetamines over heroin reported being influenced by the purpose and use of their information (PR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.26). Females and Oregonians (versus Appalachians) reported knowing and wanting to help the research team as participation motivation (PR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.26 and PR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.51, 2.99).ConclusionsBeyond financial compensation, researchers should emphasize confidentiality, offer testing and linkage with care, use several contact methods, aid transportation, and accommodate demographic differences to improve research participation and retention among rural PWUD.

【 授权许可】

CC BY