561-P: Family Matters—The Need for a Holistic Approach toward Recruitment and Retention of Culturally Diverse Adults

Abstract

Introduction: Participation in diabetes research is essential to lower health disparities; however, recruitment and retention of culturally diverse populations (African American, Caribbean, Hispanic/Latino) remains lower than the general population. The aim of this study was to identify the beliefs in this diverse population concerning types and characteristics of health research that they would consider participation. Methods: The following study was part of a larger study aimed to explore the impact of intergenerational influence (IGI) and perceptions regarding research recruitment and retention of culturally diverse adults. Participants were recruited via flyer, word of mouth, and our statewide Community Advisory Board. Listening sessions were conducted in dyads of older adults (>65 years) and younger adults (25-64 years). The Theory of Reasoned Action and IGI was the framework used to guide the study. All transcripts were transcribed verbatim. NVivo software© was used for data management. Results: There were 361 adults who participated (N=181 (>65 years) and N=180 (25-64 years). The most cited health concerns were Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Most participants cited personal experiences with diabetes, and the need for research in this area “especially in black and brown neighborhoods.” Solutions to increase research participation were, grass roots approaches with community leaders, churches, civic organizations, and schools. Both groups stated interventions should involve the family, focus on prevention, and lifestyle education. Conclusions: Studies are needed to evaluate the success of recruitment methods that involve community leaders for outreach, include multiple generations, and focus on education and prevention. Thus, continued outreach to culturally diverse groups incorporating multiple holistic approaches warrants future exploration. Disclosure T.R.Gaillard: None. D.Shambley-ebron: None. J.A.Vaccaro: None. P.Swagger: None. D.F.Neff: None. C.Morton: None. F.Webb: None. Funding National Institute on Aging (R24AG067951)