Conducting Intervention Research With Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: Barriers and Facilitators of Recruitment and Retention

Abstract

Research is needed to support culturally informed interventions for diverse groups of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), such as immigrant women. Researchers, however, often face numerous barriers in recruiting and retaining immigrant survivors of IPV in intervention research. This qualitative study explored strategies to enhance recruitment and retention of immigrant survivors of IPV in intervention research from the perspective of immigrant survivors of IPV and providers serving immigrant women. Forty-six in-depth interviews were conducted with diverse groups of immigrant women (Africans, Asians, and Latinas) and 17 key informant interviews were conducted with providers serving immigrant women. The interviews focused on perceived facilitators and barriers to recruitment and retention including strategies to form partnerships with domestic violence organizations. Data were analyzed using systematic inductive thematic analysis. Participants identified barriers to recruitment such as fear of being judged, lack of familiarity with the recruiter, normalcy of abuse in some cultures, undocumented status, and fear related to legal implications of reporting IPV. Barriers to study retention included lack of motivation, time burden related to study participation, and emotional strain with recounting abuse experience. Participants also shared strategies to facilitate recruitment and retention such as engaging with the community, forming partnerships with domestic violence organizations, using recruiters with similar background and experiences as potential participants, using snowball sampling strategies, recruiting in locations frequently visited by immigrant survivors, providing adequate incentives, ensuring confidentiality, educating survivors about IPV, and conducting periodic check-ins throughout the study period. Findings can be useful for researchers conducting intervention studies with immigrant survivors of IPV.

At the intersection of trust and mistrust: A qualitative analysis of motivators and barriers to research participation at a safety‐net hospital

“…[18][19][20][21][22] While the need for better inclusion of BIPOC populations in healthcare research is clear, a myriad of barriers to achieving sufficient representation exist and lead to challenges with the recruitment and retention of samples that are adequate for making race-stratified conclusions. 6,15,[23][24][25][26] Barriers include, but are not limited to, language/literacy, socioeconomic status, the complexity of informed consent, and limited access to technology. 23,25,[27][28][29][30] Further, systems of oppression and historical maltreatment of minoritized communities have resulted in a culture of mistrust in scientific institutions that contributes to hesitancy toward participating in healthcare research.…”

“…While the need for better inclusion of BIPOC populations in healthcare research is clear, a myriad of barriers to achieving sufficient representation exist and lead to challenges with the recruitment and retention of samples that are adequate for making race‐stratified conclusions 6,15,23–26 . Barriers include, but are not limited to, language/literacy, socioeconomic status, the complexity of informed consent, and limited access to technology 23,25,27–30 .…”