Using large-scale respondent driven sampling to monitor the end of an HIV epidemic among persons who inject drugs in Hai Phong, Viet Nam

Aims To describe the use of large-scale respondent driven sampling (RDS) surveys to demonstrate the “end of an HIV epidemic” (HIV incidence < 0.5/100 person-years) among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in a middle-income country. Large sample sizes are needed to convincingly demonstrate very low incidence rates. Methods 4 large surveys (Ns approximately 1500 each) were conducted among PWID in Hai Phong, Vietnam in 2016–2019. Respondent driven sampling (RDS) with a modification to add snowball sampling was used for recruiting participants. HIV incidence was measured through recency testing, repeat participants across multiple surveys and in a cohort study of PWID recruited from the surveys. RDS analytics (time to equilibria and homophilies for major variables) were used to assess similarities/differences in RDS only versus RDS plus snowball recruiting. Characteristics were compared among respondents recruited through standard RDS recruitment versus through snowball sampling. An overall assessment of the robustness of RDS to modification was made when adding a snowball sampling recruitment. Results RDS recruiting was very efficient in the first 5 weeks of each survey with approximately 180 respondents recruited per week. Recruiting then slowed considerably, and snowball sampling (permitting an individual respondent to recruit large numbers of new respondents) was added to the existing RDS recruiting. This led to recruiting within 13–14 weeks of 1383, 1451, 1444 and 1268 respondents, close to the target of 1500 respondents/survey. Comparisons of participants recruited through standard RDS method and respondents recruited through snowball methods showed very few significant differences. RDS analytics (quickly reaching equilibria, low homophilies) were favorable for both RDS recruited and total numbers of participants in each survey. DRug use and Infections in ViEtnam (DRIVE) methods have now been officially adopted in other provinces. Conclusions RDS appears to be quite robust with respect to adding a modest number of participants recruited through snowball sampling. Large sample sizes can provide compelling evidence for “ending an HIV epidemic” to policy makers in a PWID population in a middle income country setting.

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Ending an HIV epidemic among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in a middle-income country

AIDS ◽

10.1097/qad.0000000000002712 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽

Author(s):

Don C. Des Jarlais ◽

Huong Duong Thi ◽

Oanh Khuat Thi Hai ◽

Jonathan P. Feelemyer ◽

Kamyar Arasteh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle Income Country ◽

Income Country ◽

Persons Who Inject Drugs ◽

Middle Income ◽

Hiv Epidemic

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Perceived Roles, Benefits and Barriers of Virtual Global Health Partnership Initiatives: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-979743/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Umphrey ◽

George Paasi ◽

William Windsor ◽

Grace Abongo ◽

Jessica Evert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Global Health ◽

Middle Income Country ◽

Perceived Barriers ◽

Professional Support ◽

Income Country ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Middle Income ◽

Health Partnership ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract BACKGROUNDVirtual global health partnership initiatives (VGHPIs) evolved rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure partnership continuity, however the current landscape for VGHPI use and preference is unknown. This study aimed to increase understanding of GH partners’ perspectives on VGHPIs.METHODSFrom 15 October to 30 November 2020, authors conducted an online, international survey using snowball sampling to document pandemic-related changes in partnership activities; preferences for VGHPIs; and perceived acceptability and barriers. Analysis stratified responses by country income classification and partnership type. RESULTSA total of 128 respondents described 219 partnerships. 152/219 (69%) partnerships were transnational, 157/219 (72%) were of >5 years duration, and 127/219 (60%) included bidirectional site visits. High-income country (HIC) partners sent significantly more learners to low- to middle-income country (LMIC) partner sites (P<0.01). Participants commented on pandemic-related disruptions affecting 217/219 (99%) partnerships; 195/217 (90%) were disruption to activities; 122/217 (56%) to communication; 73/217 (34%) to access to professional support; and 72/217 (33%) to funding. Respondents indicated that VGHPIs would be important to 206/219 (94%) of their partnerships moving forward. There were overall differences in resource availability, technological capacity, and VGHPI preferences between LMIC and HIC respondents, with a statistically significant difference in VGHPI acceptability (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between groups regarding VGHPIs’ perceived barriers. CONCLUSIONSThe pandemic disrupted essential partnership elements, compounding differences between LMIC and HIC partners in their resources and preferences for partnership activities. VGHPIs have the potential to bridge new and existing gaps and maximize gains, bi-directionality, and equity in partnerships during and after COVID-19.

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Are fishermen happier? Evidence from a large-scale subjective well-being survey in a lower-middle-income country

Marine Policy ◽

10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103559 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 106 ◽

pp. 103559

Author(s):

Zuzy Anna ◽

Arief A. Yusuf ◽

Armida S. Alisjahbana ◽

Aisyah A. Ghina ◽

Rahma

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Middle Income Country ◽

Income Country ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Middle Income ◽

Lower Middle Income Country

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Hodgkin lymphoma: Trials and tribulations in a middle income country. The first inclusive prospective paediatric cancer study in South Africa

10.1055/s-0040-1701826 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

J Geel

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Hodgkin Lymphoma ◽

Middle Income Country ◽

Income Country ◽

Paediatric Cancer ◽

Middle Income ◽

Cancer Study

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Women break down the barriers to the Vietnamese social sciences and humanities

10.31219/osf.io/fb2cy ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Quan-Hoang Vuong

Keyword(s):

Social Sciences ◽

Gender Inequality ◽

Middle Income Country ◽

Women In Science ◽

Income Country ◽

The West ◽

Middle Income ◽

Social Sciences And Humanities ◽

The Social ◽

Low And Middle Income

Valian rightly made a case for better recognition of women in science during the Nobel week in October 2018 (Valian, 2018). However, it seems most published views about gender inequality in Nature focused on the West. This correspondence shifts the focus to women in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC).

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International Health Research Ethics

The Oxford Handbook of Research Ethics ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190947750.013.52 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Bridget Pratt

Keyword(s):

Research Ethics ◽

Health Research ◽

International Research ◽

International Health ◽

Middle Income Country ◽

Income Country ◽

Benefit Sharing ◽

Middle Income ◽

Ethical Concerns ◽

Low And Middle Income

Health research funded by organizations from HICs and conducted in low- and middle-income countries has grown significantly since 1990. Power imbalances and inequities frequently (but not always) exist at each stage of the international research process. Unsurprisingly then, a variety of ethical concerns commonly arise in the context of international health research, such as inequities in funding, the semi-colonial nature of international research models, the brain drain of low- and middle-income country researchers, and inequities in partnerships between HIC and low- and middle-income country researchers. In this chapter, these (and other) ethical concerns are introduced and the following ethical concepts to address the concerns are then discussed: responsiveness, standard of care, benefit sharing, community engagement, and social value. Existing guidance and remaining debates about how to specify each of the concepts are summarized. The chapter concludes by highlighting the existence of epistemic injustices within the field of international research ethics.

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