Glossary
Research lingo can feel like a whole other language, but we’ve got you. This glossary, created by ATN youth, explains research terms in words you’ll get.
ART stands for Antiretroviral Treatment. ART is a combination of medications used to treat HIV. HIV treatment is available as oral pills or a long-acting injectable.
Informed consent: When someone who is 18 years or older or legally emancipated agrees to join a study after getting clear information about the study’s procedures, risks, and benefits, as well as their rights as a participant.
Assent: When someone under 18 (or otherwise not legally able to give consent) agrees to join a study and has a parent/guardian’s consent, with both understanding the study’s procedures, risks, and benefits, as well as their rights as a participant. Studies that the IRB determines to have minimal risk may sometimes get approval from the IRB to get participant assent without parental consent.
A practice that aims to change an individual’s actions or way of life. For example, a research team might create an app that incorporates games to help people consistently take a daily medication.
A type of research that tests new ways to prevent, find, or treat health problems, ensuring they’re safe and work properly. For example, a new medicine, vaccine, or device.
Participants in the control arm of a research study receive the standard of care.
Standard of care: This is the group of people in the study who will be given evidence-based treatment that is already being used in healthcare, allowing researchers to directly compare results between what’s being studied and what’s already practiced in the medical field.
This is a web-based or app-based resource for health information. For example, a gamified app to help you remember to take your medication.
Think of this as “Plan B” for bacterial STIs, like syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. DoxyPEP is an antibiotic taken after condomless sex to reduce the likelihood of getting an STI. Just like “Plan B,” DoxyPEP treatment needs to begin within 72 hours after possible exposure.
DoxyPEP is currently only approved as STI prevention for men, but the ATN is studying its effectiveness among women. Learn more about the foXXy doxy study.
Treatment, resources, or concepts that are supported by a large amount of scientific research.
The basic requirements that a person must meet to participate in a research study. These requirements may include things like age, health conditions, medications, or other factors to make sure the study is appropriate for potential participants.
The process of officially joining a research study. This usually means a person has agreed to take part (by giving informed consent or assent) and meets the study’s eligibility criteria.
Executive Order 14168 mandates the way that the ATN collects certain demographic data and defines “female” and “male” as the sex listed on a person’s original birth certificate. Regardless of what is listed in your identification documents now, when you take our surveys please select your sex based on the Executive Order’s definition so that we can accurately determine your eligibility.
Practical steps to lower risk and keep people safer even if someone isn’t ready to stop a behavior. Some examples include (1) syringe exchange programs reduce needle sharing to lower the likelihood of HIV transmission, (2) tools like condoms, PrEP, and PEP help prevent HIV transmission, and (3) DoxyPEP helps prevent STI transmission.
A group of scientists, doctors, and community members who review studies to make sure participants are treated ethically, information is clear, and risks are as low as possible. At least one IRB member is not part of the institution to ensure the board has an independent perspective.
This is the group of people in a study who receive the experimental or modified treatment.
Executive Order 14168 mandates the way that the ATN collects certain demographic data and defines “male” and “female” as the sex listed on a person’s original birth certificate. Regardless of what is listed in your identification documents now, when you take our surveys please select your sex based on the Executive Order’s definition so that we can accurately determine your eligibility.
A person who takes part in a research study by volunteering their time, information, or experiences to help researchers learn more about a topic.
PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis. Think of this as “Plan B” for HIV prevention. Just like “Plan B,” PEP treatment needs to begin within 72 hours after possible exposure to HIV.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is an oral pill or long-acting injectable shot that prevents HIV. When taken as prescribed, oral PrEP reduces the chance of getting HIV by 99% and the long-acting injectable reduces the chance of getting HIV by 96%.
Oral PrEP: This is a pill swallowed once daily or taken in a dosing method called “2-1-1” or “event-driven” PrEP. Always take your medication as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Long-Acting PrEP: This is an injection (shot) to prevent HIV given either every 2 months or every 6 months depending on the type of medication prescribed.
This is the group of people in the study who will be given an evidence-based treatment that is already being used in healthcare. Assigning some participants in a study to receive the standard of care allows researchers to directly compare results between what’s being studied and what’s already practiced in the medical field.
A scientifically proven fact that people who take medication to treat HIV and have an undetectable level of the virus in their body cannot pass HIV on to other people.