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The underrepresentation of non-Hispanic Black adults in clinical research impacts the generalizability and usefulness of research findings. The purpose of this article is to discuss recruitment strategies used in a research study examining the self-care of diabetes and diabetes distress in non-Hispanic Black adults with type 2 diabetes. In this cross-sectional correlation study, the participants were non-Hispanic Black adults with type 2 diabetes living in North Carolina. A questionnaire collected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. This study was analyzed using descriptive statistics. In total, 512 individuals accessed the online survey. After data screening, 275 participants were used for data analysis. Sixteen recruitment sites provided letters of support, and 13 were active in the recruitment process. Most participants learned about the research study via social media. Social connections resulting in recruitment partners and using social media supported the successful recruitment. The recruitment strategies implemented can inform researchers of effective evidence-based recruitment strategies to increase the participation of non-Hispanic Black adults in clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversifying racial and ethnic participation in clinical research contributes to the generalizability of findings. Yet minority populations remain underrepresented, presenting challenges for studies targeting diverse undergraduate student populations. The researchers of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) explored a recruitment methodology including peer engagement. This article reports on the methodology and outcomes of a peer-to-peer ("Student Ambassador") recruitment strategy alongside other approaches (email, digital advertising). To understand (1) how peer engagement can diversify student recruitment efforts, the researchers examined descriptive statistics and responses from the baseline and follow-up surveys of the RCT. To understand (2) how Student Ambassadors experienced engagement, the researchers convened a focus group. While a causal relationship is not asserted, we found that study participation approximately represented the student population in terms of ethnic and racial background. Among recruitment approaches, some appeared better aligned with individual ethnic and racial groups. Nine percent of participants reported hearing about the study from peer-to-peer activities (Ambassador engagement, social media, or word-of-mouth), making such approaches a valuable reinforcement of other methods. The diverse team of Student Ambassadors reported job satisfaction, citing interactivity and relatability as success factors. We conclude that diversifying recruitment methods in alignment with target populations may enhance research results. In addition, peer-to-peer methods can expose underrepresented groups to the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palliative care trial recruitment of African Americans (AAs) is a formidable research challenge. Objectives: Examine AA clinical trial recruitment and enrollment in a palliative care randomized controlled trial (RCT) for heart failure (HF) patients and compare patient baseline characteristics to other HF palliative care RCTs. Methods: This is a descriptive analysis the ENABLE CHF-PC (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends: Comprehensive Heartcare for Patients and Caregivers) RCT using bivariate statistics to compare racial and patient characteristics and differences through recruitment stages. We then compared the baseline sample characteristics among three palliative HF trials. Results: Of 785 patients screened, 566 eligible patients with NYHA classification III-IV were approached; 461 were enrolled and 415 randomized (AA = 226). African Americans were more likely to consent than Caucasians (55%; P FDR =.001), were younger (62.7 + 8; P FDR =.03), had a lower ejection fraction (39.1 + 15.4; PFDR =.03), were more likely to be single (P FDR =.001), and lack an advanced directive (16.4%; P FDR <.001). AAs reported higher goal setting (3.3 + 1.3; P FDR =.007), care coordination (2.8 + 1.3; P FDR =.001) and used more "denial" coping strategies (0.8 + 1; P FDR =.001). Compared to two recent HF RCTs, the ENABLE CHF-PC sample had a higher proportion of AAs and higher baseline KCCQ clinical summary scores. Conclusion: ENABLE CHF-PC has the highest reported recruitment rate and proportion of AAs in a palliative clinical trial to date. Community-based recruitment partnerships, recruiter training, ongoing communication with recruiters and clinician co-investigators, and recruiter racial concordance likely contributed to successful recruitment of AAs. These important insights provide guidance for design of future HF palliative RCTs. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02505425 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the potential relationship between female combatants and conflict duration. We contend that recruiting female combatants extends war duration via its influence on state–rebel bargaining. The recruitment and deployment of female combatants contribute to divergent perspectives between the rebels and the incumbent regarding the rebel group's capabilities and the depth of its resolve, which impedes successful bargaining and extends the duration of the conflict. Results from duration analyses using data on the estimated prevalence of female combatants in rebel groups active between 1964 and 2011 support our central hypothesis and suggest that the use of female fighters is associated with longer conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recruitment to qualitative research is an important methodological consideration. However, the process of recruitment is under-communicated in qualitative research articles and methods textbooks. A robust recruitment plan enhances trustworthiness and overall research success. Although recruitment has recently received increased attention in the qualitative methodology literature, a more nuanced understanding is required. We realized successful recruitment to our focused ethnographic inquiry. Numerous nurse educators, researchers, and administrators volunteered within three months of study initiation. Using Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, we conducted a critical reflection on the recruitment log and participant interview data to surface factors contributing to our success. This article offers our insights into the facilitators of successful recruitment. Our reflection revealed four themes contributing to successful enrollment: (a) laying the groundwork, (b) recruitment plan, (c) building rapport, and (d) participant motivations. Two new recruitment strategies accounted for over 60% of our sample. Reporting on successful strategies for recruiting participants to qualitative research and specifying participants' motivations to volunteer, from their perspective, make important contributions to the recruitment literature. Our article offers guidance to qualitative researchers pursuing successful recruitment. Additional research is required to evaluate the relative influence of various recruitment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of African American females in breast cancer research has been receiving substantial attention. This study seeks to identify research perceptions and motivating factors needed to increase racial/ethnic minority participation in breast cancer research. A total of 57 African American women (Σ = 47.8 years), from Rhode Island and Texas, completed a questionnaire and focus group. While many participants were not breast cancer survivors, they reported knowledge of their racial group's risk for breast cancer. One major finding that could be seen as both a facilitator and barrier is racial concordance between participant and researcher. Cultural sensitivity and trust building is recommended to increase minority participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chronic worldwide shortage of blood for transfusions has become an important public health problem, especially in developing countries. The aim of the current study was to assess the practice of voluntary unpaid blood donation (VUBD) among college students in the past 5 years (2013–2017). The blood donation data of college students from 41 universities were collected. Change trends in the rate of blood donation among college students from 2013 to 2017 were examined. A continuous increasing trend in the rate of VUBD was observed over the past 5 years, from 3.36% in 2013 to 6.56% in 2017 (p < .01). In conclusion, a positive practice toward VUBD was observed among college students in Shandong, China. It is necessary to improve the recruitment strategies, establishing a long-term mechanism and promoting the sustainable development of VUBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Qualitative pain research for hospice patients with cancer and their caregivers involves recruiting and retaining participants with multiple vulnerabilities and ethical and logistical challenges. These have been reported for studies of individuals or dyads. However, there are no reports of the related challenges and outcomes where the sampled population was a hospice triad. Objectives: Qualitative research about pain management for home hospice patients with cancer contributes rich descriptive data and such studies are critical to improving cancer pain outcomes. We describe the ethical and pragmatic challenges we faced in a study of the hospice caring triad, operationalized as the patient, family caregiver, and nurse; how our study design anticipated them; and related outcomes. Results: We found that having an established relationship with the hospice agency at which we recruited participants, clearly identifying potential participants at the onset of hospice care, practice using a recruitment script, patient recruitment of caregivers, establishing rapport, and participants determining when interviews should end helped us recruit and retain our sample. We were unable to accrue our anticipated triad sample, partially because of nurse gatekeeping and the condition at admission of patient participants who enrolled but had physical decline or died prior to written consent. Conclusions: Although researchers will always face challenges to enrolling individuals and groups in cancer pain studies, with careful study design, recruitment, and retention planning and research team-participant engagement, it is possible to gather a robust corpus of qualitative data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An initial and vital important step in recruiting participants for church-based hospice and palliative care research is the establishment of trust and credibility within the church community. Mistrust of medical research is an extremely important barrier hindering recruitment in African American (AA) communities. A church-based EOL dementia education project is currently being conducted at four large urban AA churches. Church leaders voiced mistrust concerns of previous researchers who conducted investigations in their faith-based institutions. We explored strategies to ameliorate the mistrust concerns. Specific aim: To identify trust-rebuilding elements for researchers following others who violated trust of AA church leaders. Methods: Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted from a convenient sample of four established AA church leaders. Interviews were held in the informants’ churches to promote candor and comfort in revealing sensitive information about trust /mistrust. Content analysis framework was used to analyze the data. Elements identified from the analysis were then used to create themes. Results: Multidimensional overarching themes emerged from the analysis included: Experience with researchers (positive and extremely negative), violation of trust and trust building strategies. Conclusions: Findings suggest that researchers who wish to conduct successful studies in the AA religious institutions must implement trust rebuilding strategies that include mutual respect, collaboration and partnership building. If general moral practices continue to be violated, threat to future hospice and palliative care research within the institutions may prevail. Thus, potential benefits are thwarted for the church members, AA community, and advancement of EOL care scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article describes strategies for recruiting and retaining Chinese elders in a longitudinal research study related to hypertension management. Design: Chinese participants were recruited for a pilot, longitudinal intervention study. The information presented represents observations on both the recruitment process and participant retention. Results: Recruiting via convenience sampling, offering frequent incentives, and having culturally competent research staff were important in this study with Chinese elders as participants. Among the various approaches used, the highest recruitment rate (50% [11/22]) was obtained from personal referrals with a retention rate of 91% (20/22) over a 6-month intervention period. Conclusion/Practice Implication: Personal referral is the best approach for recruiting Chinese elders in the study. In addition, frequent incentives and reminder calls are helpful in retaining participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Evaluations of outreach strategies that effectively and efficiently reach the senior population often go unreported. The Medicare Stop Smoking Program (MSSP) was a sevenstate demonstration project funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The 1- year recruitment plan for MSSP included a multifaceted paid media campaign; however, enrollment was slower than anticipated. The purpose of this substudy was to test the effects of including envelope-sized advertisement inserts with Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) as a supplemental recruitment strategy. Methods. Information obtained from enrollees on where they had learned about the program as well as overall enrollment rates were analyzed and compared with the time periods during which the inserts were included in MSN mailings. Results. Average call volume to the enrollment center increased by 65.7% in Alabama, the pilot state, and by more than 200% in the subsequent demonstration states. Despite the introduction of the MSN inserts late in the recruitment period, 32.2% of the 7354 total enrollees stated that they learned about the project through the inserts. Conclusions. This recruitment method is highly recommended as a cost-effective way to reach the senior population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares the recruitment costs and participant characteristics associated with the use of probability and nonprobability sampling strategies in a longitudinal study of older hemodialysis patients and their spouses. Contrasts were made of people who accrued to the study based on probability and nonprobability sampling strategies. Probability-based sampling was more time-efficient and cost-effective than nonprobability sampling. There were no significant differences between the respondents identified through probability and nonprobability, sampling on age, gender, years married, education, work status, and professional job status. Respondents from the probability sample were more likely to be Protestant and less likely to be Catholic than those from the nonprobability sample. Respondents from the probability sample were more likely to be Black, whereas those from the nonprobability sample were more likely to be White. There are strengths and shortcomings associated with both nonprobability and probability sampling. Researchers need to consider representativeness and external validity issues when designing sampling and related recruitment plans for health-related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors describe a recruitment strategy used to enroll female Bangladeshi immigrants into a study of spousal abuse, crucial in the process of identifying abuse in this community. The researchers used a qualitative method involving a three-staged process designed for sampling and recruiting for focus groups and in-depth interviews. The Bangladeshi women declined participation in either of these qualitative genres, but the modified and adapted strategies proved effective in recruiting participants from the tightly knit immigrant community. Key to the success of the effort was the involvement of a Bangladeshi investigator, unspecified time to establish rapport with key informants and representatives of the larger community, and maintaining contact with the target population after completion of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that racial and ethnic minority health professionals are more likely than those in the majority to work in predominantly underserved, largely minority communities. Increasing the pool of underrepresented racial and ethnic professionals could help reduce health disparities. Summer programs giving minority students public health training and experiences can increase the number who enter the health professions. This article describes recruitment strategies for obtaining a diverse pool of applicants for such a program as part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded multisite undergraduate training program intended to increase the diversity of the public health workforce. The recruitment strategies used included institutional linkages, collaborative partnerships, and interpersonal contacts. No one strategy was more effective; however, Hispanic/Latinas were more likely to be recruited through institutional linkages, but less likely to be recruited through interpersonal contacts than other female groups. Understanding successful recruitment strategies to achieve a diverse application pool for public health training programs is vital to achieve health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]