Needs Assessment Study in Colombia: Recruitment Phase‐Design of Remote Communication Strategies to Encourage participation in dementia research during COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundDuring the pandemic, we face multiple challenges during the research. One of them was recruiting participants in the age of social distancing. As a result, we had to use creative approaches that would allow us to access the study population contemplating all the complexities, difficulties or problems that research during a pandemic demands. For dementia, we design a method to encourage the participation of patients, caregivers, professionals and associations in Colombia. Combining different virtual frameworks, tools and techniques. We embraced biosafety provisions from health policy authorities mitigating the exposition of our high‐risk groups, making up the majority of our target population.ObjectiveDesign a methodological communication strategy that allows the dissemination of project knowledge and participation of the target populations (patients with mild dementia, formal and informal caregivers and health care professionals).MethodWe summoned caregivers, people with dementia and health care professionals through multiple channels: Social media, e‐mail, caregiver´s databases, press, radio, physician specialists invitation, Dementia Research Groups (Antioquia University and Colombia National University), and voluntary associations (Alzheimer Colombia Family Action Foundation, Grupo Cuídame). We presented remote conferences about the project, panel discussions about the invisible needs of the population with dementia in Colombia. Also, we sought collaborative efforts with radio and television programs to increase the awareness in the population about the dementia challenges.ResultOver 100 people attended each event. We carried out collaborations with national groups increasing visibility of the project and amplifying citizen participation. Interviews with written, oral, and electronic media contributed to fostering interest in the study population. Remote communication strategies stimulated the involvement of various actors (patient‐family‐caregiver‐professional) from multiple cities and contexts.ConclusionResearching pandemic time has tested our creative ability to address the various challenges we face as researchers. Accessing the participants contemplated by the study has led to a little‐explored space, which has directed us towards non‐face‐to‐face alternatives, prompting us to design a methodological communication strategy that allows the dissemination of the project and participation of the dementia population in Colombia without requiring in‐person attendance.