The primary objective ofthe Qualitative Core is to assist CAIR investigators and staff in all aspects of qualitative research. Core Scientists work closely with CAIR faculty. In the design and appropriate methods In qualitative studies; pf-ovide consultation to design in-depth and focus group interview guides and observation protocols; train faculty and staff in qualitative interview and observation skills; train faculty and staff on the use of qualitative analysis software; and provide leadership and expertise in data analysis and interpretation of results. The Qualitative Core also provides consultation and outreach to community partners, non-CAIR faculty from MCW and other universities, and international researchers and collaborators. Thus, the Qualitative Core serves as a resource not only to CAIR scientists but to the larger Milwaukee, regional, national community of researchers and service providers. Qualitative research methods provide insight into Individuals' attitudes, motivations and social norms; structural factors that influence engaging in risky or preventive behaviors; and community and organizational factors that can affect implementation and scale-up of prevention efforts. This information is essential as we move HIV prevention in areas of biomedical interventions, develop high impact interventions tailored to populations disproportionately burdened by HIV, evaluate implementation of multi-level community interventions, and evaluate the translation and dissemination of efficacious interventions into real-world settings. For example, qualitative research can be used to understand personal and social factors that Influence whether a person is willing to know their HIV status, take prophylactic or post-exposure ART medication, enter medical treatment, or adhere long-term to ART. Qualitative methods can also be used to study structural barriers to biomedical interventions, including insurance policies, housing, and access to medical care. Qualitative methods can be used to elucidate organizational and community factors that influence the implementation of biomedical interventions, translation and scale-up of effective interventions, and multi-level HIV prevention interventions. The Qualitative Core encourages scientists to develop and design innovative research projects that explore critical issues in HIV prevention research using advanced qualitative methods and mixed-methods designs. As qualitative methods play a role in almost all CAIR research projects, the Qualitative Core works closely with the other Scientific Cores. The Qualitative Core plays an essential role In Center-Wide Initiatives, which bring together CAIR investigators to develop grants in the Center's research priority areas. Core Scientists also work closely with the Developmental Core and the post-doctoral program in providing consultation on research design, data collection and analysis of Developmental Research Grants, and extensive training to post-doctoral fellows. The Core closely collaborates with the Quantitative Core in helping to improve measurement of risk behaviors and developing new quantitative instruments to measure structural, community and organizational factors. The Core works with the Intervention and Dissemination Core by providing formative data used to culturally tailor interventions to vulnerable populations and to study factors that influence dissemination and adaptation of interventions into community settings. The Core works with the International Core in collecting and analyzing qualitative data important to understand the social and cultural context of risk In different cultural settings, and provides consultation on ethics issues particular to qualitative research with vulnerable populations for the biannual ethics training seminar.
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