Effective Recruitment Methods Research Articles

Sexual and Gender Minority Invisibility in Cancer Studies: A Call for Effective Recruitment Methods to Address Cancer Disparities.

#LGBTQ+ people with cancer are invisibilized: A call for #intersectional cancer research (link here) #healthequity

ENROLLING PARTICIPANTS WITH DEMENTIA IN A RURAL SETTING: GEISINGER RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES FOR D-CARE

Abstract Geisinger Health System serves a large, geographically stable population in central and northeast Pennsylvania and was chosen to participate in D-CARE due to its rural population, which is often under-represented. To reach potential participants, we used a multi-pronged recruitment approach including local radio, television, and newspaper advertisement; publication in a health system newsletter targeted to 55+; outreach to senior-care managers and primary care providers to encourage referrals; and leveraged an extensive electronic health record (EHR) database to identify a pool of almost 9,000 potential participants. Initial barriers to enrollment stemmed from geographic challenges and the dyad’s inability and/or unwillingness to travel long distances to lengthy in-clinic appointments. A post-pandemic transition to virtual visits helped ease the travel burden and increase study enrollment. Despite varied recruitment strategies, by far the most effective recruitment method remained direct referrals of patients and caregivers with whom the provider had discussed the D-CARE study.

Is Blind Recruitment an Effective Recruitment Method?

Recruitment is a major activity of human resources management that decides the performance of the organization. One of the major drawbacks is that the selection of the candidate can be dependent on the demographics, appearance, and cultural differences of candidates. According to the literature review analysis, blind recruitment is linked to only a few studies, and a gap has been identified in knowledge areas. Thus, through this study, the researcher has reviewed the concept of blind recruitment. Then, the objectives of the study were to identify new themes in blind recruitment and to explore the blind recruitment concepts and to provide a critical review of blind recruitment. The author adopts the desk research approach by conducting an extensive literature review. The author, using systematic review, conducts the conduct of two or more research sources, each conducted rigorously and complete in itself, into one project. In the current study, desk research has been used, and the researcher has collected data from past research articles relevant to the topic. According to the results of the study, blind recruitment is a proper solution to minimize bias in the recruitment and selection process. Blind recruitment enables companies to guarantee they are selecting the best candidates for available vacant positions because they remove characteristics that may lead to bias. Furthermore, hidden demographic data, skill-based selection, avoidance of social media pre-screening, and anonymization of initial interviews are some of the key initial themes of blind recruitment identified, as well as criticism in the practical context of blind recruitment.

Costs and Barriers Associated With the Recruitment of Children for a Nutrition Randomized Clinical Trial During COVID-19

ObjectivesRecruitment of children for randomized clinical trials (RCT) is challenging, especially during a pandemic. This analysis aimed to (1) evaluate the cost and effectiveness of different recruitment strategies; (2) evaluate the reasons for exclusion; and (3) evaluate the barriers of participation.MethodsThis is an analysis of the costs associated with recruitment in the MetA-Bone trial, an RCT testing the effects of soluble corn fiber supplementation on bone in children 10–13 y. Recruitment methods were categorized as (1) community-based (CB): healthcare providers, schools, companies/organizations, university, mailings, and word of mouth; (2) Online: email campaigns, social media; and (3) not specified. Totals of the cost and effectiveness of each recruitment method, participants’ reasons for exclusions, and barriers to participation were calculated.ResultsPreliminary results show the total number of screened participants was 238 from February 2020–2022. Email campaigns rendered the greatest number of pre-screened participants (n = 145), followed by mailings to home (n = 20). The total cost of recruitment was $92,433 (CB = $74,170 and online = $18,264) with the highest cost being recruitment from healthcare providers ($40,180) and the lowest cost being word of mouth ($80). The most cost-effective recruitment methods were word of mouth ($5 cost per participant) and email campaigns ($85 cost per participant). The reason for most participants being excluded from participating in the study was an incomplete pre-screening form (n = 91) or a BMI > 95th percentile (n = 24). The reason for most eligible participants deciding not to enroll in the study was not specified (n = 9) or due to time commitment (n = 4).ConclusionsOnline recruitment methods are more effective in recruiting children into a clinical trial during the pandemic based on the number of participants screened and low implementation costs. Specifically, email campaigns and word of mouth are the most effective recruitment methods associated with low cost per pre-screened participant.Funding SourcesThe MetA-Bone trial is supported by the National Institutes of Health (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NICHD), grant number 1R01HD098589–01. The funding source had no involvement in the preparation of the article or the study design.

Comparison of Web-Based Advertising and a Social Media Platform as Recruitment Tools for Underserved and Hard-to-Reach Populations in Rheumatology Clinical Research.

ObjectiveTraditional nondigital methods of participant recruitment for clinical research studies in rheumatology can be costly and inefficient, particularly for recruitment of underserved populations. We aimed to address this need by evaluating two methods of online recruitment to an observational cohort of individuals at risk for rheumatoid arthritis, namely web and Facebook advertisements.MethodsA 3‐month countywide web‐based recruitment campaign was conducted consisting of text and image‐based advertisements. Similar advertisements were subsequently displayed on Facebook, initially in English for 5 months and later in Spanish for an additional 3 months. Individuals who clicked on advertisements were directed to a website landing page containing study information and could contact study personnel to schedule testing for anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide‐3 (CCP3). The primary outcome measure for each campaign was the click‐through rate.ResultsDuring the web campaign, 413,289 advertisement impressions were displayed, resulting in 428 clicks (click‐through rate 0.10%) and only one screened participant. During the English Facebook campaign, 724,815 advertisements were displayed with 6765 clicks (click‐through rate 0.93%) and 43 screened participants, significantly greater than the web campaign (P < 0.001). During the Spanish advertisement campaign, 255,730 Spanish advertisements were displayed, resulting in a click‐through rate of 2.09% and 24 screened participants, a significantly higher rate than English advertisements. Of participants recruited through social media, 94% were female and 29.8% were Spanish speakers.ConclusionFacebook advertisements were superior to web advertisements for participant recruitment. Spanish Facebook advertisements had a greater click‐through rate than English Facebook advertisements. Facebook was an effective recruitment method, particularly for Spanish speakers.

Improving Recruitment for a Newborn Screening Pilot Study with Adaptations in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Seven months after the launch of a pilot study to screen newborns for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in New York State, New York City became an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. All in-person research activities were suspended at the study enrollment institutions of Northwell Health and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitals, and study recruitment was transitioned to 100% remote. Pre-pandemic, all recruitment was in-person with research staff visiting the postpartum patients 1–2 days after delivery to obtain consent. With the onset of pandemic, the multilingual research staff shifted to calling new mothers while they were in the hospital or shortly after discharge, and consent was collected via emailed e-consent links. With return of study staff to the hospitals, a hybrid approach was implemented with in-person recruitment for babies delivered during the weekdays and remote recruitment for babies delivered on weekends and holidays, a cohort not recruited pre-pandemic. There was a drop in the proportion of eligible babies enrolled with the transition to fully remote recruitment from 64% to 38%. In addition, the proportion of babies enrolled after being approached dropped from 91% to 55%. With hybrid recruitment, the proportion of eligible babies enrolled (70%) and approached babies enrolled (84%) returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our experience adapting our study during the COVID-19 pandemic led us to develop new recruitment strategies that we continue to utilize. The lessons learned from this pilot study can serve to help other research studies adapt novel and effective recruitment methods.

Prospective directions for improving the process of selling hotel services

The article describes the main elements of the process of selling hotel services, which include a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of existing sales channels, the use of modern sales technologies at different stages of interaction with the guest, as well as the use of effective methods of recruitment, training and motivation of sales employees.

Recruiting of foreign students to remote regions with severe climatic conditions

Introduction. Universities are looking for effective ways to recruit foreign citizens, but many factors influence the choice of university. The climatic conditions and geographic location of the region in which distant universities have to work and which they cannot change usually not considered as a significant factor. The purpose of the study is to identify the positive and negative aspects of studying in a remote university located in a region with difficult climatic conditions and the most effective methods of recruitment of foreign students. Materials and methods. The results of a survey of foreign students of the M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University were used as materials for the study. The survey involved 335 students enrolled in main professional educational programs, exchange programs, students of preparatory courses and courses of the Russian language. Results. The majority of respondents named the quality of education (21%), attitude towards foreigners (18%), the work of teachers (16%) and the infrastructure of the university (13%) as the advantages of studying. Most of the respondents (53%) did not indicate any disadvantages of studying at the university, 11% mentioned the geographical location of NEFU and 8% pointed climatic conditions of the region. The respondents first learned about the university from friends (25%), from the internet (23%) and Rossotrudnichestvo offices in the countries (14%). The results of the survey showed that 35% of students plan to return home or leave for another country. The dispersion of this answer across countries showed that representatives of almost every country are planning to go home or to another country, regardless of the period of study passed. 29% of the respondents would like to stay here and work in Yakutia after graduation. The poll showed that both representatives of the CIS countries and non-CIS countries wish to stay in Yakutia to work. Conclusion. Increasing university awareness through social media and partnerships with educational organizations, using various recruiting methods and involving students themselves in this process are key ways to increase the number of students.

Lessons learned recruiting a diverse sample of rural study participants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Residents of rural areas have been a hard-to-reach population for researchers. Geographical isolation and lower population density in rural areas can make it particularly challenging to identify eligible individuals and recruit them for research studies. If the study is about a stigmatizing topic, such as opioid overdose, recruitment can be even more difficult due to confidentiality concerns and distrust of outside researchers. This paper shares lessons learned, both successes and failures, for recruiting a diverse sample of rural participants for a multi-state research study about naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal agent. In addition, because our recruitment spanned the period before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., we share lessons learned regarding the transition to all remote recruitment and data collection. We utilized various recruitment strategies including rural community pharmacy referrals, community outreach, participant referrals, mass emails, and social media with varying degrees of success. Among these modalities, pharmacist referrals and community outreach produced the highest number of participants. The trust and rapport that pharmacists have with rural community members eased their concerns about working with unknown researchers from outside their communities and facilitated study team members’ ability to contact those individuals. Even with the limited in-person options during the pandemic, we reached our recruitment targets by employing multiple recruitment strategies with digital flyers and emails. We also report on the importance of establishing trust and maintaining honest communication with potential participants as well as how to account for regional characteristics to identify the most effective recruitment methods for a particular rural area. Our suggested strategies and recommendations may benefit researchers who plan to recruit underrepresented minority groups in rural communities and other historically hard-to-reach populations for future studies.

Recruiting Persons with Dementia and Caregivers in a Clinical Trial: Dyads Perceptions.

Recruitment for dementia research is challenging and costly. Using Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior we explored attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers who participated in one clinical trial to better understand factors that influence dyads' decisions to enroll. We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 12 PLWD and 9 caregivers and utilized directed content analysis. Categories connected with positive attitudes about study enrollment were personal desires of wanting to learn and in-person meetings with knowledgeable staff. Additionally, participants said the money always helps in terms of the financial incentive. Participants reported enrolling to support another person (perceived norm). Study requirements were thought to be easy (perceived behavioral control). Participants highlighted the importance of flexible scheduling and study tasks being completed at their home. Findings can inform future recruitment efforts and should be investigated as effective recruitment methods in other clinical trials.

A digital behaviour change intervention to increase booking and attendance at Stop Smoking Services: the MyWay feasibility RCT

Background Smoking remains a leading cause of illness and preventable death. NHS Stop Smoking Services increase quitting, but, as access is in decline, cost-effective interventions are needed that promote these services. StopApp™ (Coventry University, Coventry, UK) is designed to increase booking and attendance at Stop Smoking Services. Design A two-arm feasibility randomised controlled trial of StopApp (intervention) compared with standard promotion and referral to Stop Smoking Services (control) was conducted to assess recruitment, attrition and health equity of the design, alongside health economic and qualitative process evaluations. Setting Smokers recruited via general practitioners, community settings and social media. Participants Smokers aged ≥ 16 years were recruited in one local authority. Participants had to live or work within the local authority area, and there was a recruitment target of 120 participants. Interventions StopApp to increase booking and attendance at Stop Smoking Services. Main outcome measures Participants completed baseline measures and follow-up at 2 months post randomisation entirely online. Objective data on the use of Stop Smoking Services were collected from participating Stop Smoking Services, and age groups, sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic status in baseline recruits and follow-up completers/non-completers were assessed for equity. Results Eligible participants (n = 123) were recruited over 116 days, with good representation of lower socioeconomic status groups; black, Asian and minority ethnic groups; and all age groups. Demographic profiles of follow-up completers and non-completers were broadly similar. The attrition rate was 51.2%, with loss to follow-up lowest in the social media setting (n = 24/61; 39.3%) and highest in the general practitioner setting (n = 21/26; 80.8%). Most measures had &lt; 5% missing data. Social media represented the most effective and cost-efficient recruitment method. In a future, definitive, multisite trial with recruitment driven by social media, our data suggest that recruiting ≥ 1500 smokers over 12 months is feasible. Service data showed that five bookings for the Stop Smoking Services were scheduled using StopApp, of which two did not attend. Challenges with data access were identified. A further five participants in the intervention arm self-reported booking and accessing Stop Smoking Services outside StopApp compared with two control arm participants. Event rate calculations for the intervention were 8% (Stop Smoking Services data), 17% (including self-reports) and 3.5% from control arm self-reports. A conservative effect size of 6% is estimated for a definitive full trial. A sample size of 840 participants would be required to detect an effect for the primary outcome measure of booking a Stop Smoking Services appointment in a full randomised controlled trial. The process evaluation found that participants were satisfied with the research team contact, study methods and provision of e-vouchers. Staff interviews revealed positive and negative experiences of the trial and suggestions for improvements, including encouraging smokers to take part. Conclusion This feasibility randomised controlled trial found that, with recruitment driven wholly or mainly by social media, it is possible to recruit and retain sufficient smokers to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of StopApp. The study methods and measures were found to be acceptable and equitable, but accessing Stop Smoking Services data about booking, attendance and quit dates was a challenge. A full trial may be feasible if service data are accessible. This will require careful planning with data controllers and a targeted social media campaign for recruitment. Changes to some study measures are needed to avoid missing data, including implementation of a more intensive follow-up data collection process. Future work We plan a full, definitive randomised controlled trial if the concerns around data access can be resolved, with adaptations to the recruitment and retention strategy. Limitations Our trial had high attrition and problems with collecting Stop Smoking Services data, which resulted in a reliance on self-reporting. Trial registration Research Registry: 3995. The trial was registered on 18 April 2018. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 9, No. 5. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Outreach to new mothers through direct mail and email: recruitment in the Early Check research study

Meeting recruitment targets for clinical trials and health research studies is a notable challenge. Unsuccessful efforts to recruit participants from traditionally underserved populations can limit who benefits from scientific discovery, thus perpetuating inequities in health outcomes and access to care. In this study, we evaluated direct mail and email outreach campaigns designed to recruit women who gave birth in North Carolina for a statewide research study offering expanded newborn screening for a panel of rare health conditions. Of the 54,887 women who gave birth in North Carolina from September 28, 2018, through March 19, 2019, and were eligible to be included on the study’s contact lists, we had access to a mailing address for 97.9% and an email address for 6.3%. Rural women were less likely to have sufficient contact information available, but this amounted to less than a one percentage point difference by urbanicity. Native American women were less likely to have an email address on record; however, we did not find a similar disparity when recruitment using direct‐mail letters and postcards was concerned. Although we sent letters and emails in roughly equal proportion by urbanicity and race/ethnicity, we found significant differences in enrollment across demographic subgroups. Controlling for race/ethnicity and urbanicity, we found that direct‐mail letters and emails were effective recruitment methods. The enrollment rate among women who were sent a recruitment letter was 4.1%, and this rate increased to 5.0% among women who were also sent an email invitation. Study Highlights WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC? Under‐representation by traditionally underserved populations in clinical trials and health research is a challenge that may in part reflect inequitable opportunities to participate. WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS? Are direct‐mail and email outreach strategies effective for reaching and recruiting women from traditionally underserved and rural populations to participate in large‐scale, population‐based research? WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE? Despite sending recruitment letters and email invitations in roughly equal proportion by urbanicity and race/ethnicity, women living in rural areas were less likely to enroll (2.8%) than women from urban areas (4.2%). Additionally, enrollment rates decreased as the probability that women were members of a racial or ethnic minority group increased. HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE? Results from this study might encourage researchers to take a holistic and participant‐centered view of barriers to study enrollment that may disproportionately affect underserved communities, including differences in willingness to participate, trust, and access to resources needed for uptake.

The International Descriptive Study of Effective Methods for the Recruitment and the Retention of Faculty in the United States

This qualitative descriptive study explored what community college administrators and faculty described as being effective recruitment and retention methods for faculty at community colleges in the Northeastern United States. This study answered two research questions: what recruitment methods do administrators and American faculty at community colleges describe as being effective in the recruitment of American faculty? Also, what retention methods do administrators and American faculty at community colleges describe as being effective in the retention of American faculty? The researcher applied critical race theory to form a framework for best practices in recruiting and retaining American faculty. Data were obtained by interviewing six American faculty and surveying seven community college administrators employed at Massachusetts community colleges who were selected using purposive sampling and community college online staff directories. Using MAXQDA data analysis software, the researcher initiated data analysis using thematic analysis. Data were organized and analyzed to identify codes, categories, and themes. Data analysis resulted in six themes: hiring processes, faculty diversity, recruitment strategies, work environment, student and faculty relationships, and retention strategies. The findings of this study can benefit community college personnel by recommending recruitment and retention strategies to effectively recruit and retain American faculty. There was limited research and data available related to the recruitment and retention of African American male faculty at community colleges. The faculty and administrator participants of this study provided rich data on effective recruitment and retention methods for African American male faculty at community colleges. The critical race theory theoretical framework was summarized. Theoretical and practical implications emerged. Based on the data and new insights, implications for future research were discussed.

Quantifying Recruitment Source and Participant Communication Preferences for Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Research.

Evidence on effective engagement of diverse participants in AD prevention research is lacking. To quantify recruitment source in relation to race, ethnicity, and retention. Prospective cohort study. University lab. Participants included older adults (N=1170) who identified as White (86%), Black (8%), and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (6%). The Cognitive Aging Lab Marketing Questionnaire assessed recruitment source, social media use, and research opportunity communication preferences. Effective recruitment methods and communication preferences vary by race and ethnicity. The most common referral sources were postcards for racial minorities, friend/family referrals for Hispanic/Latinos, and the newspaper for Whites. Whereas Whites preferred email communications, Hispanic/Latinos preferred texts. Recruiting diverse samples in AD prevention research is clinically relevant given high AD-risk of minorities and that health disparities are propagated by their under-representation in research. Our questionnaire and these results may be applied to facilitate effective research engagement.

A Pragmatic Pilot Cluster-Randomized Study of Tobacco Screening and Smoking Cessation Program for Community Pharmacies in Japan: FINE Program.

Objectives To investigate the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program (FINE program) in community pharmacies. Methods A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 11 community pharmacies in Japan. The participants were randomly assigned to a pharmacist-led structured smoking cessation program (intervention group) or pharmacist-led usual care (control group). The intervention group was followed up over the telephone on the third day of smoking cessation, and ongoing follow-up and advice were provided according to the original smoking cessation guidebook developed for the current study based on a behavioral change approach. The control group received brief advice and ready-made pamphlets on smoking cessation from pharmacists upon their visit to these community pharmacies. The primary outcome was continued smoking cessation as determined by self-reporting and carbon monoxide monitoring with a microsmokerlyzer after 3 months. Results Five hundred and seventy-two smokers who met the eligibility criteria visited the pharmacies included in the study. Of these individuals, 24 patients agreed to participate in the study. The quit rates were 45.5% and 18.2% in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P = 0.380, effect size = 0.60). Conclusion Based on the effect size values, the FINE program may be effective to some extent, but the difference was not significant. We speculate that this is related to the small sample size due to difficulty in recruiting. Further studies with an effective recruitment method and larger sample sizes are needed to accurately verify the effectiveness of this program.

Role of human resource practitioners towards involvement of local workforce in the Malaysian construction industry

The objectives of this study are to identify the role of human resource practitioner in recruiting local workforce in the Malaysian construction industry and to identify if there is any relationship between the role of human resource practitioner and involvement of local workforce in the Malaysian construction industry. The construction industry has contributed towards the large number of workforce in Malaysia. However, the involvement of the local workforce in the construction field is still currently very low. It is beyond doubt that the economic growth of the country has increased rapidly due to the recruitment of migrant workers in Malaysia. Specifically, by resolving the workforce deficiencies in selected sectors of the economy, it still gives disadvantages to the country such as in the reduction of employment opportunities among local workers. In this study, some of the measures are identified to manage the shortages in the local workforce. Human resource practitioners are known to be responsible for decisions related to recruiting workers. Thus, they play a vital role in order to resolve this problem by implementing an effective selection and recruitment method, provide training to ensure workers are equipped with skills and knowledge, as well as execute effective policies and procedures. The data is collected from 100 respondents among construction companies located in Kuala Lumpur. The data was analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique in assessing the measurement and structural models. The result shows that there is a significant positive relationship between selection and recruitment as well as employee’s skills with involvement of local workforce.

Effectiveness of Respondent-Driven Sampling for Conducting Health Studies Among Undocumented Immigrants at a Time of Heightened Immigration Enforcement.

This paper assessed the effectiveness of Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) in recruiting undocumented Latinx immigrants for a prevalence health study at a time of heightened immigration enforcement. RDS was used to collect and analyze data from clinical interviews with 254 undocumented Latinx immigrant adults, enabling inference to a population of 22,000. 45% of the sample reported having a chronic medical condition. The desired sample size was achieved and exceeded with three initial recruits and 10 waves of recruitment across 9weeks. There was substantial cross-group mixing for recruitment in terms of sex and recency of immigration, which facilitated the emergence of diversity within recruitment chains. Primary factors that contributed to effective recruitment were location, flexibility, on-site childcare, and detailed explanation of the recruitment process. RDS is an effective recruitment method to study the health of undocumented Latinx immigrants, which is essential to informing intervention and policy.

Comparing Methods of Recruiting Spanish-Preferring Smokers in the United States: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial.

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.

671-P: Recruitment and Retention of Minority Women for Women in Control 2.0: A Virtual Diabetes Self-Management Education Study

Background: Research is needed to improve diabetes care of minority women who are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes. Yet, barriers exist that hinder efforts to include minority women in research. Evidence suggests that successful study enrollment requires multiple recruitment strategies. Little is known about the correlation between recruitment strategy and retention. We aim to examine the relationship between Women in Control (WIC) recruitment strategies, enrollment rates, and retention. Methods: We utilized multiple strategies to recruit minority women, including culturally-tailored invitation letters and phone calls to targeted Boston Medical Center patients, referrals from clinicians and WIC participants, word of mouth, social media, and posted flyers. We analyzed WIC recruitment data to determine the proportion of participants recruited by each method. We then assessed the proportion of WIC participants who adhered to the Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) study protocol by recruitment method. Results: Overall, targeted recruitment methods (letters and phone calls) yielded the highest number of screens and enrollments with a total of 975 screened, 207 found eligible, 195 enrolled - with 75% of those enrolled, attending 5 out 8 DSME medical group visits (MGV). Recruitment flyers generated the second most potential participants with a total of 73 screened, 18 found eligible and enrolled - with 83% attending 5 out of 8 MGV. All other recruitment methods (clinician or participant referral, word of mouth, social media and unknown source) combined yielded a total of 85 screened, 23 found eligible, 23 enrolled - with 78% attending 5 out of 8 MGV. Conclusion: Although we used multiple methods to recruit minority women, our data shows that targeted recruitment - using culturally tailored messaging - was the most effective recruitment method. There was no relationship between recruitment method and retention in the intervention. Disclosure A. Bragg: None. P. Gardiner: None. S.B. Woods: None. J.M. Howard: None. S. Mitchell: Speaker’s Bureau; Self; Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme Corp. Stock/Shareholder; Self; See Yourself Health, LLC. Funding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK106531)

Recruiting patients with advanced cancer to participate in a non-opioid intervention for chronic pain management.

e14085 Background: Chronic pain related to advanced cancer is difficult to treat. In addition to traditional analgesics, non-pharmacological interventions, such as music therapy, may help alleviate pain in this population. Research studies to test the efficacy of these non-pharmacological interventions are necessary and important. However, recruiting patients with advanced cancer to participate in such interventions can be challenging. Identifying effective sources of referrals and barriers to participation may help increase recruitment rates in the future. Methods: We recruited patients with advanced cancer (stage III or IV) with chronic pain from two major hospital systems to participate in a pain management interventional study. The experimental group received individualized music therapy, while the control group received talk therapy. Participants attended six weekly sessions at the hospital and were compensated for time and travel. Recruitment methods included referrals from care teams, advertisement through flyers and posters, EMR chart reviews, and in-person recruitment at multiple infusion centers. Missing data was excluded from analyses. Chi-square tests assessed significant differences between groups. Results: Of 594 patients that were referred to the study, 7% enrolled (n = 40), 35% declined (n = 208), and 58% were ineligible (n = 346). Forty-seven percent (n = 19) of enrolled participants were female; race/ethnic distributions were the following: African American/Black (55%; n = 22), Caucasian/White (28%; n = 11), or other (17%; n = 7). The most effective recruitment method was through self-referral; of the 40 patients enrolled in the study, 9 (23%) were enrolled through this method. There were no statistically significant differences between referral source and enrollment. The top three reasons patients declined to participate included lack of interest (32%; n = 67), lack of time and/or energy (28%; n = 59), and lack of transportation (16%, n = 34). Conclusions: Although there were no differences in referral sources, more patients were enrolled through self-referral or in-person recruitment, showing the power of personal motivation and personal touch. While lack of participation due to interest, time, or energy are hard to overcome, future research should consider campaigns to reach patients who are motivated to participate. In addition to referrals, resources for in-person recruitment and transportation to help alleviate barriers to research participation should be considered.