Table 3 End-of-study interviews with participants of the COMEBACK pilot randomized controlled trial elucidate impact of intervention and study participation, Dallas, Texas, 2019–2021. Supplementary data

Outreach

• “[CHW] went in person… it made it feel as if she cared more”

• “He worried about me, and he’d come out to see me. And nobody ever does that”

• “She [CHW] was always by my side… she definitely did her part”

• “He [CHW] would remember like the little details, like when I tell him where I would be at, and he would pop up… I’m like “Dang, you remembered?”

• (after visits changed to virtual): “ I just wish we could have gotten together face-to-face more… lets go grab a coffee and chat”

• (preferred in person visits in community to coming to hospital) “I’m just not a fan of hospitals you know you know from things happened long ago”

• “ The calls and reminders, and stuff like that, that’s what helped me more”

• “So a text, a call, I love both of those. And then if I don’t respond that day, then she would call my mom.”

• “[The research team] kept reaching out and in contact so it was easy to remember to participate”

Non-judgmental approach

• “[CHW was] down to earth… allowing you to just be honest in your situation with him”

• “[CHW] doesn’t look at my disease. He looks at me as a person, you know, what’s going on.”

• “When I come here and see you… you don’t judge me”

• “[I] started talking to him, and I trusted him. And I still trust him.”

• “You guy were always very receptive… I understood that no question is a stupid question…easing my mind on any kind of inquiry”

• “You guys were like really professional and polite….made me feel welcome and not judged or looked down on”

• “How my addiction and my HIV…has affected my overall disposition…a lot of us don’t have a healthy environment for those topics or those concerns to come out”

• “Not many organizations will constantly or make it their main objective to stay in touch with you, to always remain pleasant to deal with, easy to talk to”

• “But now, I feel like I’ve opened up more…the rapport that we have with one another has allowed me to not be afraid to come in and say, okay, this is what’s going on with me”

Motivation

• “Yeah, I started taking ‘em [HIV medications], ‘cause he [CHW] wouldn’t shut up about them”

• “[I was] very appreciative of his just his persistence and passion… I didn’t want to hear what he had to say…I needed to hear it”

• “The part I liked about the research, having somebody, um you know, just going good, she [CHW] was really inspiring”

• “I like to know there’s good people and keep you all’s research going on and, and encourage more people ‘cause you encourage me, inspire me”

• “[Being in the study] make me want to think about it; leaving drugs alone because understand that ain’t doing nothing but hurting me.”

• “This study has helped actually motivate me into wanting to look for another job “

• “[The study] allowed me to think about taking better care of myself and … take my meds and go to my classes and my appointments and stuff like that. “

• “[Since getting out of jail and being in the study] I’m more focused and …purposeful”

Accountability

• “I had someone that actually seemed like they care what happened to you. It makes a difference”

• “It let me know that, you know, he’s concerned, you know. A lot of people just need to have somebody that’s concerned about them.”

• “He’s like my dad. My dad passed and [CHW] is like a father figure towards me”

• “[Counselor at Unlocking Doors^®,] spoke to me with such wisdom and patience and experience and care and concern. He really made me feel like I would be letting a family member down if I hadn’t kept my goals and my word that I would complete these goals.”

• “I liked the study. What they’re doing for me is a great thing because I feel that I need the help…I stay above the water. I finished this thing up because they told every three months that they contact me, so ride it out.”

• “So, it helps a lot when you feel like someone cares that you’re here, that they know you’re here. And it just makes you wanna do good and make them happy. So, their hard work and effort of trying to care for you don’t seem to have gone away”