Conducting Intervention Research With Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Barriers and Facilitators of Recruitment and Retention

Help-Seeking After Intimate Partner or Sexual Violence: Exploring the Experiences of International Student Women in Australia

Research suggests that many international students experience intimate partner violence (IPV) or sexual violence (SV) whilst attending tertiary institutions. Yet, little is known about how they engage in help-seeking and what types of support they need following IPV/SV. In this paper, we present findings from a qualitative analysis of 30 in-depth interviews with international student women who experienced SV/IPV while studying in Australia. The findings highlight how isolation and structural factors can create significant barriers to help-seeking for international student women. Yet, the findings also highlight the agency and resourcefulness of international student women in overcoming challenges. The provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate and tailored support for international students is crucial in order to help reduce the harms of SV/IPV.

At the intersection of trust and mistrust: A qualitative analysis of motivators and barriers to research participation at a safety-net hospital

INTRODUCTION

The underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals in healthcare research limits generalizability and contributes to healthcare inequities. Existing barriers and attitudes toward research participation must be addressed to increase the representation of safety net and other underserved populations.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with patients at an urban safety net hospital, focusing on facilitators, barriers, motivators, and preferences for research participation. We conducted direct content analysis guided by an implementation framework and used rapid analysis methods to generate final themes.

RESULTS

We completed 38 interviews and identified six major themes related to preferences for engagement in research participation: (1) wide variation in research recruitment preferences; (2) logistical complexity negatively impacts willingness to participate; (3) risk contributes to hesitation toward research participation; (4) personal/community benefit, interest in study topic, and compensation serve as motivators for research participation; (5) continued participation despite reported shortcomings of informed consent process; and (6) mistrust could be overcome by relationship or credibility of information sources.

CONCLUSION

Despite barriers to participation in research studies among safety-net populations, there are also facilitators that can be implemented to increase knowledge and comprehension, ease of participation, and willingness to join research studies. Study teams should vary recruitment and participation methods to ensure equal access to research opportunities.

PATIENT/PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Our analysis methods and study progress were presented to individuals within the Boston Medical Center healthcare system. Through this process community engagement specialists, clinical experts, research directors, and others with significant experience working with safety-net populations supported data interpretation and provided recommendations for action following the dissemination of data.

Conducting Digital Intervention Research among Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Methodological, Safety and Ethnical Considerations

Intimate partner violence, described as a global pandemic by the United Nations, has been found to disproportionately affect immigrant women. Many immigrant survivors of IPV are unable or unwilling to attend in-person services due to barriers related to immigration status, transportation, and social isolation. By providing remote support to women in abusive relationships, digital interventions can help address these barriers and ensure their health and safety. Research on safe and ethical approaches to digital service delivery for immigrant IPV survivors is a necessary first step to meeting these women's needs for remote support. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore considerations and challenges of conducting digital intervention research (online, phone and text) with diverse groups of immigrant women. Data was collected via 5 focus groups and 46 in-depth interviews with immigrant survivors of IPV from different countries of origin. In addition, data was collected via key informant interviews with 17 service providers. Participants shared safety, ethical and methodological challenges to accessing interventions, such as their abusive partner being at home or lack of safe access to technology. Further, participants shared strategies for safe data collection, such as scheduling a contact time when participants are afforded privacy and deleting evidence of the intervention to retain personal safety. The findings will be informative for researchers conducting digital intervention studies or practitioners engaging in remote intervention approaches with marginalized populations such as immigrant women at high risk of violence.