Table 1 Themes identified through interviews with clinical trial experts
Communication plan | •Perform stakeholder mapping to identify those who influence decision-making and those impacted by the decisions •Identify who, when, and how to engage •Have a monitoring and reevaluation plan to assess if the communication plan is working •Identify benchmarks of success •Describe the strategy, audience, and what needs to be done prior to implementing the plan •Include information about what will happen after the trial •Conduct meetings with stakeholders before the start of a trial to get the appropriate permissions |
Barriers and challenges | •Spread of misinformation, distrust •Not setting the correct expectations •Low literacy levels •Decay in communication over the lifespan of the trial •Community exhaustion from previous trials •Not speaking to community leaders prior to trial commencement |
Best practices | •Include a community advisory board (CAB) and have regular meetings to help develop communication tools and advocate for the trial •Share results of the trial with the broader community so that others see the potential benefits of participating in clinical trials •Share results with nurses and trusted clinical staff to help communicate results •Use simple and understandable messages |
Channels of communication | •Phone, text/WhatsApp •Local radio •Theater •Fliers |
Post-trial communication | •Gather chiefs and peer leaders to share results and thank them for participating •Incorporate a referral system, if appropriate •Conduct meetings/workshops with the public •Share the scientific publication •Share findings with healthcare professionals |