Building Trust and Engaging Communities for HIV Prevention Research Globally

The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) is the largest publicly funded international collaboration facilitating the evaluation of vaccines to prevent HIV and TB. Central to the HVTN's success is the reliance on robust community engagement methods, ensuring community participation and facilitating community awareness and knowledge of research. Community engagement is a dynamic process that requires active participation from all stakeholders to ensure success. The HVTN and its global Clinical Research Sites (CRSs) located in Africa, Latin America, and North America are known as the Network. We describe relationships across the Network, specific staff roles and responsibilities, and the myriad activities undertaken to ensure optimal community engagement. Key activities include involving active Community Advisory Boards (CABs), using community consultations, and having trained Community Engagement staff at each CRS. Operating with robust community engagement has resulted in rapid enrollment and high retention of diverse participant populations across Network studies.