Unlocking success: community engagement for enhanced HIV care outcomes

We utilize community engagement to expand the scope of our research and find that the process provides value to both consultants and the research team. Human-centered design enhances this partnership by keeping it person-centered, developing empathy and trust between consultants and researchers, increasing consultant retention, and empowering consultants to collaborate meaningfully with the research team. The use of these methods is essential to conduct relevant, impactful, and sustainable research. We anticipate that these methods will be important for academic and public health researchers wishing to engage with and integrate the ideas of community consultants.