Project Summary
This patient engagement project will work to address the problem of missed appointments by HIV patients in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Our project will address the many barriers to successful, consistent HIV treatment that prevent patient access to care. Challenges may be especially difficult in this large, geographically diverse area, as it has scarce public transportation and very limited public or charitable services due to cutbacks in local government services. Our project brings together patients, researchers, and stakeholders with demonstrated commitment and experience in missed appointments by HIV patients. Our Governing Council—which consists of stakeholders who work with HIV patients, HIV researchers, and eight HIV-affected clients—will meet monthly and oversee the project. On the way to generating a specific comparative effectiveness research question, we will learn about pertinent research methods and develop collaborations with researchers, with the goal of developing a research intervention to improve outcomes for appointment attendance by HIV patients.