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Background: African American women (AAW) are in a unique position to be recruited into mobile (mHealth) weight management research and programs due to their high rates of obesity and their high ownership of smartphones., Aim: This study examined smartphone usage, social media engagement, and willingness to participate in mHealth weight management among AAW in north-central Florida, United States., Methods: A self-administered survey was completed by a convenience sample of 425 smartphone owners in north-central Florida., Results: Mean age was 34.84 ± 13.74, with age distribution of 18 to 29 (45%), 30 to 50 (39%), and 51+ years (17%). Mean body mass index was 29.52 ± 8.18. Most used smartphones to access the Internet daily and were engaged with eight social media sites, such as Facebook (85%), YouTube (75%), and Google+ (57%). Compared to those 51+, those 18 to 29 were more likely to use YouTube (odds ratio [OR] = 2.52, p = .017) and Instagram (OR = 10.90, p < .0001), but they were less likely to use Google+ (OR = 0.40, p = .009). Compared to those 51+, those 30 to 50 were more likely to use Instagram (β = 1.28, OR = 3.61, p = .014) and Facebook (β = 1.04, OR = 2.84, p < .006). Most were willing to participate in research that used text messages (73%), smartwatches/fitness trackers (69%), and smartphone apps (68%). Compared to those 51+, women 18 to 29 were more likely to report willingness to use a smartphone app (OR = 5.45, p < .0001) as were those 30 to 50 (OR = 3.14, p < .0001)., Conclusion: AAW's high ownership of smartphones, use of mHealth apps and tools, and willingness to participate in mHealth research has the potential to curb the obesity epidemic by participating in mHealth weight management programs and research.

Background: Despite the high ownership of smartphones, African Americans (AAs) remain underrepresented in health research and specifically mobile health (mHealth) research. This may be due to ineffective recruitment efforts., Purpose: To explore strategies for recruiting AAs into mHealth research and examine how these strategies may vary by gender and age-group., Method: Twenty triad focus groups ( n = 60) were conducted with AA males ( n = 9 groups) and females ( n = 11 groups). The framework method was used to manage, organize, synthesize, and analyze data themes by gender and age-group (18-29, 30-50, 51+)., Results: Most participants owned smartphones (71%) and were willing to participate in mHealth research (62%). The participants' narrative revealed the tension between mistrust of researchers and the excitement of participating in technology-based research. Both genders and all age-groups can be reached via word-of-mouth because it is "the best advertisement." Personal contact must precede traditional and electronic recruitment strategies because "we have to know you." Churches are excellent places for recruitment because they are "trustworthy" and have a "repeat audience." Facebook may be effective for both genders and all age-groups because "everybody is on Facebook" and it can "reach more people than text and e-mail." Beauty/barber shops may be limited in reaching both genders and age-groups, but especially young women who style their own hair natural, and young men who wear braids and dreadlocks. Personal contact must precede traditional and electronic recruitment strategies because "we have to know you.", Conclusion: A tailored, multipronged strategy that combines traditional recruitment methods with texting, e-mail, and social media may be effective in recruiting AA adults into mHealth research.