TY - JOUR
T1 - Recruitment and retention of underrepresented and vulnerable populations to research
AU - Langer, Shelby L.
AU - Castro, Felipe González
AU - Chen, Angela Chia Chen
AU - Davis, Kelly Cue
AU - Joseph, Rodney P.
AU - Kim, Wonsun
AU - Larkey, Linda
AU - Lee, Rebecca E.
AU - Petrov, Megan E.
AU - Reifsnider, Elizabeth
AU - Youngstedt, Shawn D.
AU - Shaibi, Gabriel Q.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC
PY - 2021/11/1
Y1 - 2021/11/1
N2 - Per principles outlined in the Belmont Report, research involving human subjects should minimize risks to participants and maximize benefits to participants and society. Recruitment of participants should be equitable. Once enrolled, participants have the right to withdraw at any point. Researchers must balance these principles with pressures to meet enrollment goals and, in the context of repeated-measures designs, retain participants across time. The purpose of this perspective is to describe the approach and corresponding activities for recruiting and retaining underrepresented and vulnerable populations that are the focus of a transdisciplinary academic research center. To this effort, we offer diverse disciplinary backgrounds, experience working with a wide range of populations (from infants to older adults and across multiple health conditions), and spanning a variety of research designs. Effective strategies offered include partnering with community entities, approaching potential participants where they are and at a time of readiness, using population-appropriate modes of communication and data collection, conducting study activities in familiar settings and at convenient times, maintaining frequent contact, and offering meaningful incentives. These strategies are consistent with population-specific reports found in the extant literature and underscore their cross-cutting nature, with adaptations based on participant and community partner needs and preferences.
AB - Per principles outlined in the Belmont Report, research involving human subjects should minimize risks to participants and maximize benefits to participants and society. Recruitment of participants should be equitable. Once enrolled, participants have the right to withdraw at any point. Researchers must balance these principles with pressures to meet enrollment goals and, in the context of repeated-measures designs, retain participants across time. The purpose of this perspective is to describe the approach and corresponding activities for recruiting and retaining underrepresented and vulnerable populations that are the focus of a transdisciplinary academic research center. To this effort, we offer diverse disciplinary backgrounds, experience working with a wide range of populations (from infants to older adults and across multiple health conditions), and spanning a variety of research designs. Effective strategies offered include partnering with community entities, approaching potential participants where they are and at a time of readiness, using population-appropriate modes of communication and data collection, conducting study activities in familiar settings and at convenient times, maintaining frequent contact, and offering meaningful incentives. These strategies are consistent with population-specific reports found in the extant literature and underscore their cross-cutting nature, with adaptations based on participant and community partner needs and preferences.
KW - disease prevention
KW - health disparities
KW - health promotion
KW - underserved populations
KW - vulnerable populations
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U2 - 10.1111/phn.12943
DO - 10.1111/phn.12943
M3 - Article
C2 - 34240459
AN - SCOPUS:85109679015
SN - 0737-1209
VL - 38
SP - 1102
EP - 1115
JO - Public Health Nursing
JF - Public Health Nursing
IS - 6
ER -