Ground rules:

After the introduction, tell participants the following:

• Please remember there is no right or wrong answer to these questions. We just want to hear your answers in your own words from your own perspective.

• We ask that you all feel free to participate and share your opinion.

• We also ask that you give each other a chance to talk. That means only one person talks at a time. Please do not to interrupt others in the group when they are talking.

• We also ask that you all respect the opinions of others in the group.

• People tell things in a different way even though they may be talking about the same thing. Even though you think someone else has already said something that is in line with your own experiences or thoughts, we would like to hear what you have to say.

• Please be assured that any information you give us is confidential and only authorized research staff will have access to anything you share with us.

• We ask each of you to keep the group participants and the information they share confidential.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Now we are going to turn on the audio recorder and begin the group discussion.

• In today’s discussion, I will tell you a story about Rita and her mother. I will describe several situations that Rita and her mother experienced when learning about an HIV research study that Rita was eligible to participate in. I will then ask some questions about what you think Rita and her mother will do in each situation and how the community will react to Rita and her mother’s decisions.