Graduate Research Assistant: Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on PLWH in Atlanta, Emory

Role Description

African Americans in Georgia are disproportionately impacted by HIV, comprising 72% of the total number of individuals with HIV disease in this state. Tragically, African Americans who have contracted SARS-CoV-2 also bear a disproportionate burden of death from COVID-19. The overlap of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the HIV epidemic creates a syndemic (or the aggregation of two or more concurrent or sequential epidemics interacting synergistically and contributing to excess burden of disease in a population) for African Americans with HIV.

By using quantitative and qualitative data gathering and syndemic and community-based participatory approaches, this research project seeks to understand how perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality affect the health seeking behaviors of African Americans with HIV. This project is a new collaboration between a multi-disciplinary and ethnically diverse group of HIV investigators affiliated with the Emory University and Healthcare Systems. Our team includes medical doctors, epidemiologists, and social and education scientists who are committed to a collaborative approach in which community members are seen as partners in the research process.

The student will be presented the opportunity develop, improve, and refine qualitative research skills in project implementation, management, and analysis.

The REAL Student will assist with the following activities:

• Development of qualitative research tools through the creation of a focus group discussion guide to be used during data collection.
• Data collection during focus group discussions between the research team and project participants.
• Iterative editing to focus group discussion guides used during qualitative data collection.
• Communicating with potential research participants through recruitment and focus group scheduling.
• Conducting informed consent conversations with research participants and obtaining consent from research participants.
• Scheduling of data collection, logging of data collected, incentives tracking, and overall management of research materials in collaboration with the research team and primary investigators.
• Participation in regular team update meetings.
• Development of qualitative codebook for use during analysis.
• Assistance with focus group discussion transcription review.
• Qualitative coding of focus group discussion transcriptions.
• Presentation of qualitative analysis research findings and results; participation in manuscript drafting and preparation.

This REAL position will enhance student skills in:

• Qualitative research methods including development of qualitative data collection tools, qualitative coding and analysis.
• Qualitative research analysis and results presentation
• Participant recruitment and effective communication with study participants. This would include explaining the research study to participants as well as obtaining informed consent from research participants.
• Preparation of research articles and/or conference abstracts/presentations for submission.

Ideal REAL Student Qualities:

• Current 2nd year MPH student, or 1st year with significant Qualitative research experience, at Rollins School of Public Health
• Concentration in Epidemiology, Global Health, or Behavioral Science and Health Education
• Interest in and understanding of qualitative research methods and analysis. Experience in either strongly desired.
• Strong independent working skills alongside ability to work efficiently in a team.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to participate in the facilitation of virtual and in-person focus group discussions
• Willingness to be flexible

How to Apply 

Click here to read more about this REAL opportunity and apply on Handshake!