INTRODUCTION: Black, Latine, and Caribbean (BLC) sexual and gender minorities (SGM) face structural HIV inequities. Sociocentric interventions may address these barriers, but it is unclear if respondent-driven sampling (RDS) can recruit existing BLC SGM friendship groups or if sociocentric HIV prevention interventions are feasible.
METHODS: Using an exploratory mixed-methods design (August/2022-January/2024, New York, NY), we recruited participants into a sociocentric RDS group (sRDS) or an individual-level peer referral (PR) group, with qualitative interviews drawn from quantitative participants.
RESULTS: We enrolled 29 participants in sRDS (seeds = 6) and 30 in PR; 18 completed qualitative interviews. Most were Black or Caribbean; half were US-born; over half were living with HIV. PR was viewed as feasible, while sRDS and sociocentric interventions were seen as inappropriate. Participants suggested social media and influencers for recruitment.
DISCUSSION: Sociocentric approaches may be less acceptable to BLC SGM; recruitment should account for intersectional identities and offer fair compensation.
“It’s whack, it’s not gonna work”: Feasibility of sociocentric network recruitment for interventions among Black, Latine, and Caribbean priority populations in New York City
AIDS Education and Prevention, 37 (4), 288-311. doi: 10.1521/aeap.2025.37.4.288.