TY - JOUR
T1 - Acceptability of a feasibility randomized clinical trial of a microenterprise intervention to reduce sexual risk behaviors and increase employment and HIV preventive practices (EMERGE) in young adults
T2 - a mixed methods assessment
AU - Jennings Mayo-Wilson, Larissa
AU - Coleman, Jessica
AU - Timbo, Fatmata
AU - Latkin, Carl
AU - Torres Brown, Elizabeth R.
AU - Butler, Anthony I.
AU - Conserve, Donaldson F.
AU - Glass, Nancy E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by a career development award to Dr. Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (Grant: K01MH107310) and supported by services received from the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) (Grant: UL1TR003098). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIMH. The funder had no role in the design of this study and will not have any role during its execution, analyses, interpretation, or submission of results.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Background: Acceptability is a critical requisite in establishing feasibility when planning a larger effectiveness trial. This study assessed the acceptability of conducting a feasibility randomized clinical trial of a 20-week microenterprise intervention for economically-vulnerable African-American young adults, aged 18 to 24, in Baltimore, Maryland. Engaging MicroenterprisE for Resource Generation and Health Empowerment (EMERGE) aimed to reduce sexual risk behaviors and increase employment and uptake of HIV preventive behaviors. Methods: Thirty-eight participants were randomized to experimental (n = 19) or comparison group (n = 19). The experimental group received text messages on job openings plus educational sessions, mentoring, a start-up grant, and business and HIV prevention text messages. The comparison group received text messages on job openings only. Qualitative and quantitative post-intervention, in-person interviews were used in addition to process documentation of study methods. Results: Our results found that the study design and interventions showed promise for being acceptable to economically-vulnerable African-American young adults. The largely positive endorsement suggested that factors contributing to acceptability included perceived economic potential, sexual health education, convenience, incentives, and encouraging, personalized feedback to participants. Barriers to acceptability for some participants included low cell phone connectivity, perceived payment delays, small cohort size, and disappointment with one’s randomization assignment to comparison group. Use of peer referral, network, or wait-list designs, in addition to online options may enhance acceptability in a future definitive trial. Expanding administrative and mentoring support may improve overall experience. Conclusion: Microenterprise interventions are acceptable ways of providing young adults with important financial and sexual health content to address HIV risks associated with economic vulnerability. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT03766165. Registered 04 December 2018.
AB - Background: Acceptability is a critical requisite in establishing feasibility when planning a larger effectiveness trial. This study assessed the acceptability of conducting a feasibility randomized clinical trial of a 20-week microenterprise intervention for economically-vulnerable African-American young adults, aged 18 to 24, in Baltimore, Maryland. Engaging MicroenterprisE for Resource Generation and Health Empowerment (EMERGE) aimed to reduce sexual risk behaviors and increase employment and uptake of HIV preventive behaviors. Methods: Thirty-eight participants were randomized to experimental (n = 19) or comparison group (n = 19). The experimental group received text messages on job openings plus educational sessions, mentoring, a start-up grant, and business and HIV prevention text messages. The comparison group received text messages on job openings only. Qualitative and quantitative post-intervention, in-person interviews were used in addition to process documentation of study methods. Results: Our results found that the study design and interventions showed promise for being acceptable to economically-vulnerable African-American young adults. The largely positive endorsement suggested that factors contributing to acceptability included perceived economic potential, sexual health education, convenience, incentives, and encouraging, personalized feedback to participants. Barriers to acceptability for some participants included low cell phone connectivity, perceived payment delays, small cohort size, and disappointment with one’s randomization assignment to comparison group. Use of peer referral, network, or wait-list designs, in addition to online options may enhance acceptability in a future definitive trial. Expanding administrative and mentoring support may improve overall experience. Conclusion: Microenterprise interventions are acceptable ways of providing young adults with important financial and sexual health content to address HIV risks associated with economic vulnerability. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT03766165. Registered 04 December 2018.
KW - Acceptability
KW - African-American
KW - Baltimore
KW - Clinical trial
KW - Economic
KW - HIV
KW - Microenterprise
KW - Qualitative
KW - Sexual risk behaviors
KW - Text messages
KW - Young adults
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85097021085&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-020-09904-x
DO - 10.1186/s12889-020-09904-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 33267860
AN - SCOPUS:85097021085
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 20
JO - BMC public health
JF - BMC public health
IS - 1
M1 - 1846
ER -