MTN-003C

The VOICE Community Substudy was implemented at a single VOICE site in Johannesburg, South Africa. VOICE-C assessed the impact of household factors and community perspectives on reported product adherence by women, utilizing both behavioral research and ethnographic approaches. The VOICE-C study collected data from VOICE participants, male partners of participants, members of the site’s Community Advisory Boards (CABs), and key community stakeholders.  Study staff members solicited the input of external stakeholders on developing and implementing strategies to improve product adherence in the trial, and collected feedback on participants’ experiences with implementation strategies via exit focus group discussions. 

The use of qualitative methods in VOICE-C provided insight into the context in which women were asked by VOICE researchers to use their study products. The study also provided information on the complex relationships among those who conduct clinical research, participate in the research, and live in the communities where clinical research takes place. The VOICE-C primary results were first presented at the International Conference on HIV Treatment and Prevention Adherence conference in Miami, FL on June 3, 2013. The primary manuscript was published in PLoS One on February 21, 2014.