Adapting Cognitive Remediation Group Therapy Online: Focus Groups with People Aging with HIV.

Cognitive health is a significant concern for people aging with HIV/AIDS. Psychosocial group therapies may help people aging with HIV who experience cognitive challenges cope with their symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed in-person group therapies need adaptation for technology-mediated delivery. Peer-led focus groups discussed adapting cognitive remediation group therapy (CRGT) as an online intervention. CRGT combines mindfulness-based stress reduction and brain training activities. Purposive sampling recruited people aging with HIV (40+) who self-identified cognitive concerns and resided in one of two Canadian provinces. Thematic content analysis was employed on transcripts by seven independent coders. Ten, 2-hour focus groups were conducted between August and November 2022. Participants (n=45) responded favorably to CRGT's modalities. Alongside support for its continued implementation in-person, participants requested online synchronous and online asynchronous formats. Preferred intervention facilitators were peers and mental health professionals. We also discuss how to adapt psychosocial HIV therapies for technology-mediated delivery.

Changing an in-person support group about cognitive health to an online support group via focus group consultations with middle-aged and older adults living with HIV/AIDSCognitive health concerns are common for people living with HIV as they grow older. Support groups may help individuals make connections with each other and develop ways to manage symptoms of cognitive impairment. In-person support groups need to have online adaptations for many reasons, including access for rural and remote communities. We conducted ten focus groups, led by people living with HIV, to discuss how to change an in-person support group to be online. The support group uses mindfulness and brain training activities. Forty-five people over age 40+ who are living with HIV in Ontario and Saskatchewan, Canada, and concerned about cognitive health participated in these focus groups. Seven researchers analysed the focus group transcripts. Participants liked the idea of the support group, both in-person and online. They specifically requested two forms of an online support group: synchronous, where everyone attends together at the same time, and asynchronous, where people attend at different times. This paper discusses how to change other in-person counselling and support group options for HIV to online formats.

Understanding the use of co-design methods for research involving older adults living with HIV: A scoping review protocol.

There is a growing population of adults aged 50 years or older living with HIV, facing unique challenges in care due to age, minority status, and stigma. Co-design methodologies, aligning with patient-centered care, have potential for informing interventions addressing the complex needs of older adults with HIV. Despite challenges, co-design has shown promise in empowering older individuals to actively participate in shaping their care experiences. The scoping review outlined here aims to identify gaps in existing co-design work with this population, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity based on PROGRESS-Plus characteristics for future patient-oriented research. This scoping review protocol is informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual to explore co-design methods in geriatric HIV care literature. The methodology encompasses six stages: 1) developing research questions, 2) creating a search strategy, 3) screening and selecting evidence, 4) data extraction, 5) data analysis using content analysis, and 6) consultation with key stakeholders, including community partners and individuals with lived experience. The review will involve a comprehensive literature search, including peer-reviewed databases and gray literature, to identify relevant studies conducted in the past 20 years. The inclusive criteria focus on empirical data related to co-design methods in HIV care for individuals aged 50 or older, aiming to inform future research and co-design studies in geriatric HIV care. The study will be limited by the exclusion of papers not published or translated to English. Additionally, the varied terminology used to describe co-design across different research may result in the exclusion of articles using alternative terms. The consultation with key stakeholders will be crucial for translating insights into meaningful co-design solutions for virtual HIV care, aiming to provide a comprehensive synthesis that informs evidence-based strategies and addresses disparities in geriatric HIV care.

Recruiting and Engaging Heterosexual-Identified Men Who have Sex with Men: A Brief Report of Considerations for Sex Researchers.

Heterosexual-identified men who have sex with men (H-MSM) are a unique population difficult to identify and recruit for research and practice. Yet, engaging H-MSM remains a top research priority to learn more about this population's health needs. A scoping review was conducted to develop a stronger understanding of recruitment patterns involving H-MSM in research. The search and screening procedures yielded 160 total articles included in the present study. Most studies relied on venue-based and internet-based recruitment strategies. Thematic analysis was then used to identify three themes. Locations of H-MSM's sexual encounters related to where sex researchers may recruit participants; sociocultural backgrounds of H-MSM related to important characteristics researchers should acknowledge and consider when working with H-MSM; and engagement with health services related to how H-MSM interact with or avoid HIV/STI testing and treatment and other public health services. Findings suggest H-MSM have sex with other men in a variety of venues (e.g. bathhouses, saunas) but tend to avoid gay-centric venues. H-MSM also are diverse, and these unique identities should be accounted for when engaging them. Finally, H-MSM are less likely to access healthcare services than other MSM, highlighting the need for targeted advertisements and interventions specific for H-MSM.