Bd. Yates et al., HOW TO INVOLVE HARD-TO-REACH GROUPS - A CONSUMER-LED PROJECT WITH LAYCARERS OF PEOPLE WITH ADVANCED HIV-INFECTION, Public health, 111(5), 1997, pp. 297-303
The identification and provision of support to lay carers is crucial i
f Health Authorities are to meet the identified health care needs of t
heir populations. This paper outlines in Part One the process for recr
uiting a defined but potentially hard to reach group, namely lay carer
s of people with advanced HIV infection, into a project designed as pa
rt of an ongoing development in HIV/AIDS education, the specific diffi
culties encountered, and how these were overcome. Part Two describes h
ow to make a video, highlighting the involvement of carers in all stag
es of the research and development of a health education video-based r
esource package. Crucial ro overcoming many of the difficulties and in
winning the confidence and trust of the carers was the overview throu
ghout of a committed multi-disciplinary Steering Group, the emphasis o
n confidentiality, the support of colleagues in the six UK centres, an
d the sensitivity and skills of the university research and production
facilitators. This process ensured that the carers as consumers were
involved in a continuing and active dialogue through the project.