Measuring structural factors

The structural drivers of HIV are embedded in complex, varied and overarching issues such as lack of economic opportunity and gender inequality. STRIVE research aims to demonstrate how structural interventions can be evaluated more effectively by prioritising research that addresses multiple drivers concurrently.

The RPC supports research that uses combined quantitative and qualitative methods, with a specific focus on incorporating biological outcomes such as HIV incidence as a measure of structural interventions. Methods include:

  • Knowledge synthesis through systematic reviews of quantitative, qualitative and case study material
  • Ecological studies and multi-level modelling using existing survey data where such analyses have potential to provide important multi-country insights
  • Qualitative research to better understand the relationship among different structural factors and potential pathways of influence