Lennox Graham
Howard University, USA
Title: Best Strategies to Recruit and Enroll Elderly Blacks Into Clinical and Biomedical Research
Biography
Biography: Lennox Graham
Abstract
Historically, Blacks have been disproportionately, underrepresented in clinical trials. In addition to limiting the generalizability of results of these clinical trials to the Blacks population, the determinants of their participation in clinical research remain poorly understood. Outcomes of suboptimal participation include poor understanding of the predictors and treatment of the disease, increasing health disparities, poor health equity, and suboptimal wellness of the nation. To address this gap in the literature, we analyzed our recruitment data to identify the most effective strategies for enrolling older Blacks in clinical trials. Of the total 3,266 screened, we included 2,830 Blacks volunteers for further analysis. Overall, more women than men (73.8% vs. 26.2%) participated in our recruitment activities. However, a significantly higher proportion of men than women were engaged through family (3.86% vs. 1.30%, p = 0.0004) and referral sources (5.89% vs. 2.59%, p = 0.0005). Compared to other recruitment sources, we encountered a higher proportion of volunteers at health fairs (42.95%), and through advertisements (14.97%). In our sample, years of education and age did not appear to influence the likelihood of an encounter, screening and potential participation. These findings indicate that we mostly recruited Black men and women from health fairs, and through advertisements tailored to their health needs and interests. Conversely, we mostly recruited Blacks men through family referrals and persons known to them, indicating a need for trust in their decision to engage study personnel and or participate in clinical trials.