Optimizing Recruitment of Black Adolescents into Behavioral Research: A Multi-Center Study

Abstract

Objectives Adolescents of color are underrepresented in behavioral health research. Study aims were to quantify the amount and types of outreach effort needed to recruit young Black adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their primary caregiver into a clinical trial evaluating a parenting intervention and to determine if degree of recruitment difficulty was related to demographic, diabetes-related, or family characteristics. Methods Data were drawn from a multi-center clinical trial. Participants (N = 155) were recruited from seven pediatric diabetes clinics. Contact log data were used to quantify both number/type of contacts prior to study enrollment as well as length of time to enrollment. Families were coded as having expedited recruitment (ER) or prolonged recruitment (PR). Baseline study data were used to compare ER and PR families on sociodemographic factors, adolescent diabetes management and health status and family characteristics such as household organization and family conflict. Results Mean length of time to recruit was 6.6 months and mean number of recruitment contacts was 10.3. Thirty-nine percent of the sample were characterized as PR. These families required even higher levels of effort (mean of 9.9 months to recruit and 15.4 contacts). There were no significant between-group differences on any baseline variable for ER and PR families, with the exception of family income. Conclusions Researchers need to make persistent efforts in order to successfully enroll adolescents of color and their caregivers into clinical trials. Social determinants of health such as family resources may differentiate families with prolonged recruitment within such samples.

Pivoting during a pandemic: lessons learned from transitioning a multisite randomized controlled trial to a remote protocol in response to COVID-19

“…The aim is to reapproach families who may not have otherwise answered the phone or became unresponsive during remote recruitment. This hybrid model aligns with findings that persistent and varying methods of recruitment increase the participation of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities in clinical research trials [9]. While the impact of COVID-19 on the future of clinical trials remains uncertain, we expect to see more clinical trials develop remote procedures to adjust to social distancing practices.…”

A perspective on enhancing representative samples in developmental human neuroscience: Connecting science to society

“…Bridging the gap between science and society allows for more representative, innovative and generalizable research, which may ultimately benefit healthcare practices, education and policy efforts (Ellis et al, 2021). Here, we provide some experience-and evidence-based recommendations to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in developmental human neuroscience through activities that are aimed at connecting science to society.…”

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within Pediatric Adherence Science

“…Enrolling representative samples often requires different recruitment and retention approaches to engage particular populations. For example, Ellis et al ( 2021 ) reported the need for persistence in reaching out to some families of Black children with type 1 diabetes to make contact and recruit for clinical trials. Use of various contact approaches (e.g., mail, phone calls, texts, in-person) was critical in ensuring families were able to understand and participate in the research process; though in many cases, this persistence may not be common in the conduct of traditional research studies.…”