Peer Research Assistantships and the Ethics of Reciprocity in Community-Based Research

A major component of community-based research (CBR) in the field of HIV is the Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) through hiring, training, and supporting peer research assistants (PRAs). CBR researchers and PRAs have begun to dialogue about the successes and challenges associated with peer research assistantships as they attempt to address the range of ethical issues that impact the PRAs' experience at different stages throughout the research process. I discuss some of the ethical tensions related to the PRA/researcher relationship, the relationship of the PRA to the research itself, and suggestions for how to move forward in addressing these tensions.