Digital approaches to enhancing community engagement in clinical trials

Abstract

Digital approaches are increasingly common in clinical trial recruitment, retention, analysis, and dissemination. Community engagement processes have contributed to the successful implementation of clinical trials and are crucial in enhancing equity in trials. However, few studies focus on how digital approaches can be implemented to enhance community engagement in clinical trials. This narrative review examines three key areas for digital approaches to deepen community engagement in clinical trials—the use of digital technology for trial processes to decentralize trials, digital crowdsourcing to develop trial components, and digital qualitative research methods. We highlight how digital approaches enhanced community engagement through a greater diversity of participants, and deepened community engagement through the decentralization of research processes. We discuss new possibilities that digital technologies offer for community engagement, and highlight potential strengths, weaknesses, and practical considerations. We argue that strengthening community engagement using a digital approach can enhance equity and improve health outcomes.

Explanatory model of symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression in the general population: Cross‐sectional study during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Regarding data collection methods, the findings shown by studies comparing selfadministered virtual data collection methods and traditional paper-pencil data collection methods were taken into account. This mechanism proved to be consistent with the findings of traditional methods for the population characteristics distribution, adjustment and data quality (Gosling et al 2004;Tan et al 2022;Woodyatt et al 2016).…”

A conceptual framework for clinical and translational virtual community engagement research

“…Community engaged research has been reluctant to adopt a virtual model because of the distinctive features of established rapport, relationships, and investment in communities that have traditionally characterized in-person activities. [23][24][25][26] While virtual engagement is not an inperson replacement, it is a new modality that can be leveraged to expand access, increase equity, improve trust building, and enhance the delivery and implementation of CEnR. Therefore, engagement activities that take place virtually, need to reflect a set of best practices that allow for equitably involving community members, organizational representatives, and researchers throughout the process.…”

Digital sexually transmitted infection and HIV services across prevention and care continuums: evidence and practical resources

“…Some digital crowdsourcing interventions have been designed to increase participation from women, ethnic minorities, and other underrepresented groups. (72)(73)(74) At the same time, several studies suggest that socio-economically disadvantaged groups have lower uptake of online STI testing, (75,76) or other device. Research using low-cost platforms for analogue phones are needed to spur innovation focused on low-income users.…”