ArticleHealth research policy and systems2011
Investing in the future: lessons learnt from communicating the results of HSV/ HIV intervention trials in South Africa.
Article in Health research policy and systems, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evidence map of knowledge translation strategies, outcomes, facilitators and barriers in African health systems.Health research policy and systems · 2019Pooled it
- Recommendations for the return of research results to study participants and guardians: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2012Guideline
- Engagement of adolescent girls and young women into an early oral PrEP open-label study in Southern Africa: lessons learned from HPTN 082.BMC public health · 2025Trial
- Review of published evidence on knowledge translation capacity, practice and support among researchers and research institutions in low- and middle-income countries.Health research policy and systems · 2020Review
- Guidance on stakeholder engagement practices to inform the development of area-wide vector control methods.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2019Article
- Local ownership of health policy and systems research in low-income and middle-income countries: a missing element in the uptake debate.BMJ global health · 2019Review
- Collateral benefits: how the practical application of Good Participatory Practice can strengthen HIV research in sub-Saharan Africa.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2018Article
- The challenge of bridging the gap between researchers and policy makers: experiences of a Health Policy Research Group in engaging policy makers to support evidence informed policy making in Nigeria.Globalization and health · 2016Article
- Bridging evidence, policy, and practice to strengthen health systems for improved maternal and newborn health in Pakistan.Health research policy and systems · 2015Article
- Towards a Science of Community Stakeholder Engagement in Biomedical HIV Prevention Trials: An Embedded Four-Country Case Study.PloS one · 2015Article
- Influences on visit retention in clinical trials: insights from qualitative research during the VOICE trial in Johannesburg, South Africa.BMC women's health · 2014Article
- Improving ethical and participatory practice for marginalized populations in biomedical HIV prevention trials: lessons from Thailand.PloS one · 2014Article
- Cognitive mapping: using local knowledge for planning health research.BMC medical research methodology · 2013Article
- What shapes research impact on policy? Understanding research uptake in sexual and reproductive health policy processes in resource poor contexts.Health research policy and systems · 2011Article
- Strengthening the research to policy and practice interface: exploring strategies used by research organisations working on sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.Health research policy and systems · 2011Article
- Adherence and the Lie in a HIV Prevention Clinical Trial.Medical anthropologyArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCommunicating the results of randomised controlled trials may present challenges for researchers who have to work with communities and policy-makers to anticipate positive outcomes, while being aware that results may show no effect or harm.
methodsWe present a case study from the perspective of researchers in South Africa about the lessons learnt from communicating the results of four trials evaluating treatment for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) as a new strategy for HIV prevention.
resultsWe show that contextual factors such as misunderstandings and mistrust played an important role in defining the communications response. Use of different approaches in combination was found to be most effective in building understanding, credibility and trust in the research process. During the communication process, researchers acted beyond their traditional role of neutral observers and became agents of social change. This change in role is in keeping with a global trend towards increased communication of research results and presents both opportunities and challenges for the conduct of future research.
conclusionsDespite disappointing trial results which showed no benefit of HSV-2 treatment for HIV prevention, important lessons were learnt about the value of the communication process in building trust between researchers, community members and policy-makers, and creating an enabling environment for future research partnerships.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.