Abstract
BackgroundThere is a pressing need to address the unacceptable disparities and underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority groups, including Hispanics or Latinxs, in smoking cessation trials.ObjectiveGiven the lack of research on recruitment strategies for this population, this study aims to assess effective recruitment methods based on enrollment and cost.MethodsRecruitment and enrollment data were collected from a nationwide randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a Spanish-language smoking cessation intervention (N=1417). The effectiveness of each recruitment strategy was evaluated by computing the cost per participant (CPP), which is the ratio of direct cost over the number enrolled. More effective strategies yielded lower CPPs. Demographic and smoking-related characteristics of participants recruited via the two most effective strategies were also compared (n=1307).ResultsFacebook was the most effective method (CPP=US $74.12), followed by TV advertisements (CPP=US $191.31), whereas public bus interior card advertising was the least effective method (CPP=US $642.50). Participants recruited via Facebook had lower average age (P=.008) and had spent fewer years in the United States (P<.001). Among the participants recruited via Facebook, a greater percentage of individuals had at least a high school education (P<.001) and an annual income above US $10,000 (P<.001). In addition, a greater percentage of individuals were employed (P<.001) and foreign born (P=.003). In terms of subethnicity, among the subjects recruited via Facebook, a lower percentage of individuals were of Mexican origin (P<.001) and a greater percentage of individuals were of Central American (P=.02), South American (P=.01), and Cuban (P<.001) origin.ConclusionsFacebook was the most effective method for recruiting Hispanic or Latinx smokers in the United States for this RCT. However, using multiple methods was necessary to recruit a more diverse sample of Spanish-preferring Hispanic or Latinx smokers.
Highlights
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States [1] and is associated with 4 of the 5 leading causes of death among Hispanics or Latinxs [2]
More than 10 years after the publication by the US Department of Health and Human Services [10] called for the development and evaluation of smoking cessation interventions for racial/ethnic minority groups, only a handful of trials have been conducted with Hispanics or Latinxs [11,12,13,14,15,16]
Unlike TV advertisements, which can be very expensive in markets with a high density of Hispanics or Latinxs, Facebook advertising campaigns can have a national reach with an affordable cost regardless of the city, state, or Hispanic or Latinx population share
Summary
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States [1] and is associated with 4 of the 5 leading causes of death among Hispanics or Latinxs (cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes) [2]. According to the US Census Bureau, Hispanics or Latinxs represent 18% of the US population and are considered the largest and the second fastest growing racial ethnic minority group, making tobacco cessation among this population a public health priority [3,4]. More than 10 years after the publication by the US Department of Health and Human Services [10] called for the development and evaluation of smoking cessation interventions for racial/ethnic minority groups, only a handful of trials have been conducted with Hispanics or Latinxs [11,12,13,14,15,16]. There is a pressing need to address the unacceptable disparities and underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority groups, including Hispanics or Latinxs, in smoking cessation trials
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