Reaching Mental Health Research Participants with Multiple Stigmas; A Description of Strategies Used in a Depression Intervention Study for YMSM of Color with HIV

Research indicates that stigma serves as a barrier to the recruitment of participants into mental health intervention studies. Some participants, such as those for depression intervention studies that target people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), may face multiple sources of stigma. The purpose of this brief report was to describe recruitment strategies used during the initial months of an ongoing preliminary pilot study designed to develop a web-based intervention for young African American and Latino gay and bisexual men living with HIV who reported symptoms of depression. We employed four primary recruitment strategies to identify potential participants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area for the study. These strategies included social media, referrals, direct contact, and recruitment flyers. Preliminary data indicated that recruitment efforts generated 57 responses from potential participants during the first four months of recruitment and study implementation. The monthly response rate from potential participants represented slightly more than 71% of the study’s minimum level targeted for participant enrollment. Findings from this preliminary study are discussed in terms of the role of stigma as a barrier to mental health participant research recruitment. Implications for both depression research and clinical interventions are considered.