Adapting Cognitive Remediation Group Therapy as an Online or Hybrid Intervention for People Aging With HIV and Cognitive Concerns: Focus Group Protocol

Date
2022
Authors
Eaton, Andrew, D.
Hui, Jenny
Muchenje, Marvelous
Murzin, Kate
Carusone, Soo Chan
Ibáñez-Carrasco, Francisco
Novik, Nuelle
McCullagh, John, W.
Nicolay, Susanne
Walmsley, Sharon, L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Abstract

Cognitive impairment is a significant health issue for people aging with HIV/AIDS. Cognitive challenges can include forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and increasing struggles to learn new skills, all of which contribute to poorer mental health and decreased quality of life. Although there is no specific drug therapy that can reverse the brain impairment, group therapies may help people aging with HIV and cognitive challenges to better cope with their symptoms when combined with their usual medical treatment and follow-up. This community-based study will involve peer-led focus groups to discuss cognitive remediation group therapy – a combination of mindfulness-based stress reduction and brain training activities tested in a pilot randomized, controlled trial – as an in-person intervention for people aging with HIV in 2019. Via a brief demographic survey and technology-mediated focus groups (n = 40) in Ontario and Saskatchewan, we will determine how the intervention could be adapted in an online or hybrid format considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Content analysis will be employed whereby a team of independent coders will code the focus group transcripts in line with the co-design framework and “Double Diamond” model of developing interventions, including intervention structure, content, and mode of delivery. Given the aging of the HIV population in Canada, increasing support will be required in addition to medical care to improve quality of life, and proactively address concerns about cognition. This protocol provides a roadmap for adapting in-person psychosocial interventions using community-based and technology-mediated methods

Description
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by SAGE. Creative Commons CC BY: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Keywords
focus groups, community-based research, methods in qualitative inquiry, virtual environments, action research
Citation
Eaton, A. D., Hui, J., Muchenje, M., Murzin, K., Chan Carusone, S., Ibáñez-Carrasco, F., Novik, N., McCullagh, J. W., Nicolay, S., & Walmsley, S. L. (2022). Adapting cognitive remediation group therapy as an online or hybrid intervention for people aging with HIV and cognitive concerns: Focus group protocol. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221139014
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