Area of Research
Location
Kericho
Kenya
Objective: To enroll for a newly launched HIV vaccine trial in Kericho, Kenya, in support of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program
Challenge: COVID-19 restrictions disrupted study personnel and limited recruitment opportunities
Solution: Rely on an HJFMRI-led community engagement team to find new pathways to engage stakeholders and educate potential participants
In early 2021, as COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and restrictions disrupted public life around the globe, the U.S. Military HIV Research Program (MHRP) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research faced the challenge of safely and ethically enrolling more than 100 participants in a new HIV vaccine adjuvant study in Kericho, Kenya.
Thanks to an experienced community engagement team working in collaboration with an engaged community advisory board, the study achieved full enrollment in just eight months despite ongoing COVID challenges.
The study was a Phase 1 vaccine trial to evaluate HIV vaccine regimens formulated with combinations of different adjuvants. This study was led by long-time HJFMRI partners, MHRP and the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project (WRP). Thanks to this longstanding partnership, HJFMRI had research support infrastructure already in place and staffed an established and proven community engagement team with previous HIV vaccine trial experience.
The Kericho site previously conducted three HIV vaccine trials and belongs to a number of clinical trial networks: the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) and, most recently, the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN). Thanks to this large portfolio of clinical research, the WRP community engagement team has built a stellar reputation among the local community and enrolled thousands of participants into previous trials over the years, but the COVID pandemic introduced unprecedented hurdles to the recruitment process.
According to Charles Kilel, WRP’s research community engagement officer, COVID restrictions hampered early mobilization efforts. “Non-essential workers were required to work from home, which slowed down clinic activities,” he said. As restrictions were eased and recruitment efforts began to ramp up, the community engagement team had to adapt their usual messaging and meeting practices to reach potential participants and ensure safety.
“We were holding engagement meetings outdoors, strictly observing social distancing, always carried sanitizers and masks,” said Kilel. “We also invited a limited number of potential participants for screening. This gave people confidence to attend our meetings."
COVID prevention measures also helped the recruiting process because it demonstrated to potential participants that their health and safety is top priority for researchers, a perception that can impact feelings about participating in the trial. Kilel also attributes the success of their recruitment efforts to, “proper messaging and dispelling myths about HIV and the safety of the investigation product (vaccines).”
To maximize the efficiency of a recruitment process already delayed by COVID, the community engagement team relied on a close collaboration with a community advisory board to help them more quickly identify and introduce potential participants. The board is made up of trusted community stakeholders from local civil society groups and sometimes includes representatives of vulnerable key populations.