Recruitment Tool Research Articles

Identifying early language predictors: A replication of Gasparini et al. (2023) confirming applicability in a general population cohort

AbstractBackgroundIdentifying language disorders earlier can help children receive the support needed to improve developmental outcomes and quality of life. Despite the prevalence and impacts of persistent language disorder, there are surprisingly no robust predictor tools available. This makes it difficult for researchers to recruit young children into early intervention trials, which in turn impedes advances in providing effective early interventions to children who need it.AimsTo validate externally a predictor set of six variables previously identified to be predictive of language at 11 years of age, using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) birth cohort. Also, to examine whether additional LSAC variables arose as predictive of language outcome.Methods & ProceduresA total of 5107 children were recruited to LSAC with developmental measures collected from 0 to 3 years. At 11–12 years, children completed the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, 4th Edition, Recalling Sentences subtest. We used SuperLearner to estimate the accuracy of six previously identified parent‐reported variables from ages 2–3 years in predicting low language (sentence recall score ≥ 1.5 SD below the mean) at 11–12 years. Random forests were used to identify any additional variables predictive of language outcome.Outcomes & ResultsComplete data were available for 523 participants (52.20% girls), 27 (5.16%) of whom had a low language score. The six predictors yielded fair accuracy: 78% sensitivity (95% confidence interval (CI) = [58, 91]) and 71% specificity (95% CI = [67, 75]). These predictors relate to sentence complexity, vocabulary and behaviour. The random forests analysis identified similar predictors.Conclusions & ImplicationsWe identified an ultra‐short set of variables that predicts 11–12‐year language outcome with ‘fair’ accuracy. In one of few replication studies of this scale in the field, these methods have now been conducted across two population‐based cohorts, with consistent results. An imminent practical implication of these findings is using these predictors to aid recruitment into early language intervention studies. Future research can continue to refine the accuracy of early predictors to work towards earlier identification in a clinical context.WHAT THIS PAPER ADDSWhat is already known on the subject There are no robust predictor sets of child language disorder despite its prevalence and far‐reaching impacts. A previous study identified six variables collected at age 2–3 years that predicted 11–12‐year language with 75% sensitivity and 81% specificity, which warranted replication in a separate cohort.What this study adds to the existing knowledge We used machine learning methods to identify a set of six questions asked at age 2–3 years with ≥ 71% sensitivity and specificity for predicting low language outcome at 11–12 years, now showing consistent results across two large‐scale population‐based cohort studies.What are the potential or clinical implications of this work? This predictor set is more accurate than existing feasible methods and can be translated into a low‐resource and time‐efficient recruitment tool for early language intervention studies, leading to improved clinical service provision for young children likely to have persisting language difficulties.

The Seal of Biliteracy as a recruitment tool in postsecondary language study

AbstractAs state‐level Seals of Biliteracy for high school graduates become more common, postsecondary language programs face questions about how to recognize this credential. While scholarship has examined the implementation of state Seals in secondary education, less attention has been paid to the role of postsecondary language programs in this new policy milieu. This study examined how receiving a Seal of Biliteracy might motivate students to study language(s) in college and the impact of awarding advanced placement and retroactive credit for the Seal. A survey of Seal of Biliteracy recipients (n = 61) in Nebraska and interviews with undergraduate students who received the award (n = 8) suggest that postsecondary language departments could leverage the Seal of Biliteracy to recruit students to language programs and likewise lend support to state implementation efforts. Findings point to the critical role academic credit policies play in making language study more attractive to Seal of Biliteracy recipients.

Exploring barriers to care home research recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of social media recruitment posts and public sentiment.

Recruitment of care home staff to research studies is recognised as challenging. This was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated negative media portrayal of care home workers. Social media use has surged since the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns, offering a plausible approach to understanding the barriers to care home research recruitment and gaining insight into public perceptions of care home workers. To utilise comments from two Facebook recruitment posts to: 1) gain an understanding of potential barriers to recruitment of healthcare workers (HCWs) in UK care homes, and 2) explore public sentiment towards care home research and care homes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study analysed comments from two Facebook posts (available June-October 2021) advertising a separate study on psychological support for care staff during the pandemic. This study was situated within a larger investigation into the mental health and wellbeing of care home staff and employed both qualitative analysis and quantitative methods (word count and correlations between words used and between posts). Three themes were identified from the qualitative analysis: support, mistrust and blame. There was a greater use of words associated with support and negative emotive words in post 2. Post 2 comments featured significantly more choice words and first-person singular pronouns than post 1 which indicated a resentful sentiment from those who advocate freedom of choice and control. Discussion of mistrust towards researchers was most prominent in post 1 indicating the importance of relationship building between researchers and HCWs in UK care homes. With attribution to blame, there was a larger range of negative emotion words than positive emotion words. Taken together our findings offer novel insights into why recruitment to care home research during the pandemic including the use of social media might be problematic. Social media is a useful tool for recruitment but should not be considered as a one-time input. Researchers should pro-actively engage with the study population from the start using co-design with resident and public groups to support recruitment and ensure these populations are accurately represented within research.

Fostering diversity and inclusion in the preempt CRC study through strategic site selection and innovative recruitment tools.

e23025 Background: Diversity in clinical studies is crucial in aligning the study population with the intended patient demographic. Freenome is developing a blood based test (MyTectCRC) intended to offer a convenient and accessible option for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Its clinical validation is supported by the PREEMPT CRC study, a prospective, multi-center observational study. PREEMPT CRC was able to achieve a diverse population representing various ethnic, racial, and geographical backgrounds that reflect the United States population. This analysis evaluates the significance of strategic site selection and use of forward-thinking study tools in achieving a diverse and inclusive study population. Methods: Starting in 2020, PREEMPT CRC enrolled participants aged 45-85 at average CRC risk. Eligible and consenting participants underwent a blood draw and a screening colonoscopy, with the blood sample analyzed by MyTectCRC. To ensure diversity, strategic site selection was employed beyond large academic institutions and hospitals to smaller sites and community hospitals. The study also incorporated a decentralized clinical trial (DCT) model to reach broader geographical areas and used electronic consenting and mobile phlebotomy (MP) services to facilitate enrollment. Results: PREEMPT CRC enrolled 48,995 participants and achieved ethnic/racial diversity comparable to 2020 U.S. Census for Blacks (11.2%, vs 13.6%), Asians (6.8%, vs 6.3%) and Hispanic or Hispanic/Latinx (11.2%, vs 19.1%), Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (0.3% vs 0.4%). The primary site types were community hospitals and regional clinics, accounting for 45.5% of all sites, followed by health systems (12.0%), research institutes (18.5%), and academic centers/teaching hospitals (16.0%). The community clinics and academic centers enrolled the highest proportion of Black participants within their sites (21.4% and 12.1%, respectively). Research institutions had the highest proportion of Asian (24.8%) and Hispanic/Latinx (18.3%) populations. There was no significant difference observed in male versus female distribution between site types. Within traditional sites, 32% used MP service. DCT enrolled 12,137 participants (24.7% of total) from every state in the U.S., including high representation from rural areas (24.5%). Conclusions: PREEMPT CRC integrated multiple methodologies and tools to enhance diversity and inclusivity. This multimodal approach ensured diversified representation through the participation of sites with harder-to-reach populations, which was reflected in ethnic and racial data, as well as the geographical diversity. PREEMPT CRC study underscores the importance of incorporating early diversity planning into study strategy and using multiple methods to broaden the representation of the patient population. Clinical trial information: NCT04369053 .

Evaluating the Impact of a Global Cleft Speech Mentorship Program on Expanding Practitioner Competency in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

A primary challenge in global cleft care lies in the limited opportunities for cleft-specific training and mentorship available to speech practitioners worldwide, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, the limited number of speech therapists with cleft experience in LMICs creates a significant barrier to access to care for individuals with cleft lip and palate globally. The inaccessibility of cleft-specific clinical instruction and cleft-trained speech therapists impacts the effectiveness of intervention and, subsequently, the speech-language development of cleft-affected individuals worldwide. A structured virtual clinical mentorship program targeting speech practitioners of all skill levels in LMICs was established to address this gap in comprehensive cleft care provision. This article will examine the effectiveness of a structured cleft speech mentorship program in expanding practitioner competency in LMIC communities and, as a result, building capacity for cleft speech care globally. The authors will outline various aspects of the development and implementation of this cleft speech mentorship program, including rationale, participant recruitment, program requirements, and impact assessment tools utilized. An analysis of pre-program and post-program data will be conducted to evaluate the degree to which clinical skills were improved, identify persistent areas of weakness, and examine the effectiveness of the program in expanding speech practitioner competency.

Evaluation of respondent-driven sampling in seven studies of people who use drugs from rural populations: findings from the Rural Opioid Initiative

BackgroundAccurate prevalence estimates of drug use and its harms are important to characterize burden and develop interventions to reduce negative health outcomes and disparities. Lack of a sampling frame for marginalized/stigmatized populations, including persons who use drugs (PWUD) in rural settings, makes this challenging. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is frequently used to recruit PWUD. However, the validity of RDS-generated population-level prevalence estimates relies on assumptions that should be evaluated.MethodsRDS was used to recruit PWUD across seven Rural Opioid Initiative studies between 2018-2020. To evaluate RDS assumptions, we computed recruitment homophily and design effects, generated convergence and bottleneck plots, and tested for recruitment and degree differences. We compared sample proportions with three RDS-adjusted estimators (two variations of RDS-I and RDS-II) for five variables of interest (past 30-day use of heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine; past 6-month homelessness; and being positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody) using linear regression with robust confidence intervals. We compared regression estimates for the associations between HCV positive antibody status and (a) heroin use, (b) fentanyl use, and (c) age using RDS-1 and RDS-II probability weights and no weights using logistic and modified Poisson regression and random-effects meta-analyses.ResultsAmong 2,842 PWUD, median age was 34 years and 43% were female. Most participants (54%) reported opioids as their drug of choice, however regional differences were present (e.g., methamphetamine range: 4-52%). Many recruitment chains were not long enough to achieve sample equilibrium. Recruitment homophily was present for some variables. Differences with respect to recruitment and degree varied across studies. Prevalence estimates varied only slightly with different RDS weighting approaches, most confidence intervals overlapped. Variations in measures of association varied little based on weighting approach.ConclusionsRDS was a useful recruitment tool for PWUD in rural settings. However, several violations of key RDS assumptions were observed which slightly impacts estimation of proportion although not associations.

Implications and Lessons Learned While Using Social Media Advertisements to Promote Longitudinal Social Network Study Participation in Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men (LMSM): A Brief Report.

We assess the effectiveness of paid ads on social media platforms as a research recruitment tool with Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM). We deployed four paid ad campaigns July-September 2022 in English and Spanish on Meta and Grindr featuring happy or risqué images of LMSM, documenting engagement and cost metrics. The four campaigns generated a total of 1,893,738 impressions and 1078 clicks (0.057 click-through rate) with a total cost of $7,989.39. Of the 58 people who accessed the study screener, 31 completed it (53.4%), 13 were eligible (22.4%), but none enrolled. Comparing platforms, Meta had higher engagement metrics than Grindr, while Grindr had higher proportions of those who completed the screener (57.9%) and were eligible (26.3%) than Meta (52.6% and 21.0%, respectively). Challenges to using paid ads as an LMSM recruitment tool included intersecting pandemics (Mpox, COVID-19), and limited connection between platforms and staff for study enrollment.

528 Midwest Translational Science (MTS): Building a regional CTSA community

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Our vision is to build community amongst the Midwest CTSAs, harnessing our collective expertise to collaborate on translational science challenges and meet the needs of our region. We aim to create opportunities to network, share ideas, brainstorm solutions, address translational science topics, and achieve a range of deliverables. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Three individuals from the Chicago CTSAs (NUCATs, CCTS, and ITM) had been networking for a year and desired to increase opportunities to collaborate amongst other CTSAs. We developed an initial vision for a new group that would extend across the region, and we invited the TIN POCs from 16 Midwest CTSAs to join. In September, 2022, the group was launched with 20 members from 12 CTSAs. We hosted 12 monthly meetings via Zoom to discuss various topics (i.e., staffing, career training, e-consent, research design, and recruitment tools) via round tables or presentations. We developed a Google Sites website with resources, a discussion forum, and a group calendar. We solicited feedback via survey and follow-up discussion (i.e., most valuable about the group and what can be improved). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: During the past year, our membership grew to more than 30 participants, representing 16 CTSAs in nine Midwest states (IL, IA, IN, MI, MN, MO, KT, OH, WI). We engaged a total of 45 individuals at our meetings, with an average of 11 participants per meeting. Our discussions were lively and stimulated additional conversations, requests for guidance, sharing resources, etc., beyond the meetings. Feedback from the group was overwhelmingly positive. Members found many aspects of the group to be valuable (i.e., learning initiatives, processes, and best practices at other CTSAs) and provided practical suggestions for improvement (i.e., themes across a quarter or year). Members expressed interest in additional collaborations such as subcommittees, papers, and other initiatives. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: We created a regional CTSA community that is very enthusiastic to convene, share innovations developed at their CTSA hubs, and assist one other. Future directions include an in-person retreat in the spring. Our approach can serve as a potential roadmap for developing regional CTSA collaborative groups across the nation.

Enhanced Empowering Futures through Online Job Portal

This research aims to develop a job web portal for the students in the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology. The main aims of this portal are to connect with industries and act as an online recruitment tool to support students in finding the right IT job after graduation. Furthermore, this system enhances the understanding of the concept and importance of the job portal for students in universities. A survey was conducted to identify the students’ problems with the existing portal of the faculty and to gather their requirements, which can be incorporated into the portal to be developed.

Challenges in conducting clinical research in primary care dentistry

The integration of dentistry into primary health care is crucial for promoting patient well-being. However, clinical studies in dentistry face challenges, including issues with study design, transparency, and relevance to primary care. Clinical trials in dentistry often focus on specific issues with strict eligibility criteria, limiting the generalizability of findings. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) face challenges in reflecting real-world conditions and using clinically relevant outcomes. The need for more pragmatic approaches and the inclusion of clinically relevant outcomes (CROs) is discussed, such as tooth loss or implant success. Solutions proposed include well-controlled observational studies, optimized data collection tools, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive modelling, computer-aided diagnostics and automated diagnosis. In this position paper advocates for more efficient trials with a focus on patient-centred outcomes, as well as the adoption of pragmatic study designs reflecting real-world conditions. Collaborative research networks, increased funding, enhanced data retrieval, and open science practices are also recommended. Technology, including intraoral scanners and AI, is highlighted for improving efficiency in dental research. AI is seen as a key tool for participant recruitment, predictive modelling, and outcome evaluation. However, ethical considerations and ongoing validation are emphasized to ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of AI-driven solutions in dental research. In conclusion, the efficient conduct of clinical research in primary care dentistry requires a comprehensive approach, including changes in study design, data collection, and analytical methods. The integration of AI is seen as pivotal in achieving these objectives in a meaningful and efficient way.

Recruitment tools for transgender and gender diverse veterans in health care research.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) veterans in the Veterans Health Administration experience health and health care disparities, and research with this population is needed to improve gender-affirming care in Veterans Health Administration. However, TGD veterans may experience hesitancy to participate in research. We must address barriers to participation through feasible and acceptable methods. Opt-out letters are an effective tool used to recruit veterans in mental health research. The present study examined the feasibility and acceptability of opt-out letters modified for TGD veterans. Opt-out letters were sent to 54 potential TGD participants at three sites. The letters stated the research team would begin contacting veterans by phone in 2 weeks if they did not opt out of being contacted. Feasibility was measured through response rate. Acceptability was assessed through qualitative template analysis of interview data. Of the 54 potential participants, two opted out, three letters were undeliverable, and eight veterans called to opt in. Veterans reported that they found the letters to be clear and useful. The responses to the opt-out letters resulted in completing recruitment for two of the three sites. The research team then called the veterans who received the letter at the third site (three veterans) and recruited one additional veteran, for a total of nine TGD veterans. Opt-out letters may be a helpful tool to recruit TGD veterans to participate in research. Although these letters were designed to opt out, 89% of participants called the research team to opt in. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effectiveness of IT-supported patient recruitment: study protocol for an interrupted time series study at ten German university hospitals

BackgroundAs part of the German Medical Informatics Initiative, the MIRACUM project establishes data integration centers across ten German university hospitals. The embedded MIRACUM Use Case “Alerting in Care - IT Support for Patient Recruitment”, aims to support the recruitment into clinical trials by automatically querying the repositories for patients satisfying eligibility criteria and presenting them as screening candidates. The objective of this study is to investigate whether the developed recruitment tool has a positive effect on study recruitment within a multi-center environment by increasing the number of participants. Its secondary objective is the measurement of organizational burden and user satisfaction of the provided IT solution.MethodsThe study uses an Interrupted Time Series Design with a duration of 15 months. All trials start in the control phase of randomized length with regular recruitment and change to the intervention phase with additional IT support. The intervention consists of the application of a recruitment-support system which uses patient data collected in general care for screening according to specific criteria. The inclusion and exclusion criteria of all selected trials are translated into a machine-readable format using the OHDSI ATLAS tool. All patient data from the data integration centers is regularly checked against these criteria. The primary outcome is the number of participants recruited per trial and week standardized by the targeted number of participants per week and the expected recruitment duration of the specific trial. Secondary outcomes are usability, usefulness, and efficacy of the recruitment support. Sample size calculation based on simple parallel group assumption can demonstrate an effect size of d=0.57 on a significance level of 5% and a power of 80% with a total number of 100 trials (10 per site). Data describing the included trials and the recruitment process is collected at each site. The primary analysis will be conducted using linear mixed models with the actual recruitment number per week and trial standardized by the expected recruitment number per week and trial as the dependent variable.DiscussionThe application of an IT-supported recruitment solution developed in the MIRACUM consortium leads to an increased number of recruited participants in studies at German university hospitals. It supports employees engaged in the recruitment of trial participants and is easy to integrate in their daily work.

Assessment and Recommendations for Website Platforms of Neuroanesthesiology Fellowship Programs.

Websites serve as recruitment and educational tools for many fellowship programs, including neuroanesthesiology. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, when interviews, conferences, and institutional visits were moved online, websites have become more important for applicants when deciding on their preferred fellowship program. This study evaluated the content of the websites of neuroanesthesiology fellowship programs. Neuroanesthesiology fellowship program websites were identified from the websites of the International Council on Perioperative Neuroscience Training and the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care. The content was assessed against 24 predefined criteria. Fifty-three fellowship programs were identified, of which 42 websites were accessible through a Google search and available for evaluation. The mean number of criteria met by the 42 fellowship websites was 12/24 (50%), with a range of 6 to 18 criteria. None of the evaluated fellowship websites met all 24 predefined criteria; 20 included more than 50% of the criteria, whereas 7 included fewer than 30% of the criteria. Having a functional website, accessibility through a single click from Google, and a detailed description of the fellowship program were the features of most websites. Information about salary and life in the area, concise program summaries, and biographical information of past and current fellows were missing from a majority of websites. Important information was missing from most of the 42 evaluated neuroanesthesiology fellowship program websites, potentially hindering applicants from making informed choices about their career plans.

University ‘Pay-for-grades’: the bait and switch search engine optimization strategies of contract cheating websites in the United States

This paper presents the first systematic investigation into the search engine optimization practices of major contract cheating websites in the United States. From a business perspective, visibility in organic search engine results is considered one of the top client recruitment tools. The current understanding of student recruitment strategies by these companies remains largely unexplored in both academic literature and popular press. Replicating the business research practices used in the search engine optimization industry, comprehensive search engine ranking and traffic data was obtained for the 38 largest contract cheating websites in the US. The overall objective was to illuminate the strategies that these companies take to get their services at the top of the search results of as many students as possible – not just the relatively small proportion of students actively cheating. The results show that these companies dominate the search results for not just students searching to cheat, but also for naïve search efforts, when students are simply doing genuine research or classwork. These nefarious companies use highly sophisticated search engine manipulation strategies to bait naïve student searchers onto their sites, thus enabling the potential to switch them to cheaters. Higher education institutions, armed with the specific details provided in this study, can use the strategies outlined in the discussion to directly and negatively impact on the success of these contract cheating services.

Mapping Digital Recruitment Tools Using Advanced Convergent Qualitative Meta-integration

Organizations are now more skill-driven due to global competition and environmental volatility. As a result, finding the right talent for the needed position has been less important than in recent times. Traditional recruiting methods must meet the changing demands of recruiting the best-matched candidates. Therefore, incorporating digital solutions in recruitment and selection is an urgent necessity to thrive in the market. Digital recruitment tools, such as psychometric testing, gamification, video interviewing and applicant tracking systems can improve the function of recruitment and selection. However, a synopsis of this is still undermined. Considering the availability of the research gap, a systematic review, using an advanced convergent qualitative meta-integration method, is conducted to map the digital recruitment tools. A significant 23 research studies published in different reputable journals published from 2006 to 2022 were selected. The meta-integration review enlightened future directions that may help the beneficiaries to analyse and improvize the recruitment process.

Three Approaches to Using Mixed Reality Simulations for Teacher Preparation and Recruitment of Future Teachers

Mixed reality simulations have versatility in both the preparation as well as the recruitment of future teachers. We describe three approaches that have led to successful outcomes for general and special education preservice teachers, as well as in the recruitment of future teacher candidates from the high school level. First, we explored the use of TeachLivE™ to enhance special education teacher candidates’ behavior observation skills when conducting functional behavior assessments. Second, we studied the impact of different simulation methods on early childhood candidates’ preparedness to communicate with parents and caregivers about sensitive topics. Finally, we utilized TeachLivE™ as a recruitment tool to engage current high-achieving high school students in the teaching and reflection process as part of their on-campus dual credit program. In all cases, candidates and students valued the simulation experiences, recognizing the opportunity to deliver instruction in supportive environments with immediate feedback, coaching, and practice opportunities.

The DCM Project Portal: A direct-to-participant platform of The DCM Research Project

Study objectiveTo develop a digital platform to conduct family-based, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) genetic research. DesignThe DCM Project Portal, a direct-to-participant electronic recruitment, consent, and communication tool, was designed using prior experience with traditional enrollment methods and characteristics and feedback of current participants. ParticipantsDCM patients (probands) and their family members enrolled from June 7, 2016 to March 15, 2020 at 25 US advanced heart failure programs. ResultsThe portal was designed as a self-guided, three module (registration, eligibility, and consent) process with supporting informational and messaging resources integrated throughout. The experience is tailored to user type and the format adaptable with programmatic growth. Characteristics of participants of the recently completed DCM Precision Medicine Study were assessed as an exemplary user population. A majority of the diverse (34 % non-Hispanic Black (NHE-B), 9.1 % Hispanic; 53.6 % female) proband (n = 1223) and family member (n = 1781) participants aged ≥18 years reported not at all or rarely having problems learning about their health from written information (81 %) and a high confidence in completing medical forms (77.2 % very much or often confident), supporting a self-guided model. A majority of participants across age and race-ethnicity groups reported internet access, with highest rates of no reported access in those ≥77 years (31.9 %), NHE-B (25.2 %), and Hispanic (22.9 %), a similar pattern to those reported by the US Census Bureau as of 2021. ConclusionsThe portal is an example of a digital approach to family-based genetic research that offers opportunity to improve access and efficiency of research operations.

ENGAGE UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN TECHNOLOGY AND AGING RESEARCH: LIVED EXPERIENCE AT GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE SITES

Abstract Minoritized and marginalized older adults face multifaceted barriers that could prevent them from participating in aging research, including but not limited to not having access to research opportunities, time and transportation constraints, lack of trust with health care providers and researchers, and language barriers. When the research projects involve technology, whether as a tool for engagement or recruitment, intervention delivery, or outcome monitoring and assessment, additional challenges exist in recruiting underrepresented groups. The technology adoption gap has been widely reported. Minoritized and marginalized older adults are less likely to have internet access or feel less confident in using technology compared to their more privileged counterparts. This symposium introduces the lived experience and lessons learned from engagement and recruitment of underrepresented populations at multiple Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers. The first presentation presents outreach and recruitment efforts at the Oregon Outreach, Recruitment & Education Core. The authors will discuss strategies and benefits to engage people of underrepresented backgrounds in the research workforce. The following two presentations focus on recruitment efforts for installing an in-home monitoring technology platform for diverse older adult populations, including African Americans in Chicago, IL, and Hispanic/Latino immigrants in San Antonio, TX. The fourth presentation describes the response, retention, and enrollment rate of an online dementia research registry and the effort to adapt the registry and build capacity in recruiting Asian American immigrants with limited English proficiency. Sharing successes and lessons learned at multiple sites will contribute to developing more effective recruitment strategies for future aging research involving technology.

Targeted electronic health record-based recruitment strategy to enhance COVID-19 vaccine response clinical research study enrollment

Efficient recruitment of eligible participants is a significant challenge for clinical research studies. This challenge was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person recruitment was not an option. In 2020, the University of Minnesota was tasked, as part of the National Cancer Institute's Serological Sciences Network for COVID-19 (SeroNet), to recruit participants for a longitudinal serosurveillance clinical research study with a goal of characterizing the COVID-19 vaccine-elicited immune response among immunocompromised individuals, which necessitated reliance on non-traditional strategies for participant recruitment. To meet our enrollment target of 300 transplant patients, 300 cancer patients, 100 persons living with HIV, and 200 immunocompetent individuals, we utilized targeted electronic health record (EHR)-based recruitment in addition to traditional recruitment tools, which was an effective combination of recruitment strategies. A significant advantage of patient portal messaging or other digital recruitment strategies such as email communication is timing. We reached 85 % (769 out of 900) of our enrollment target within one year with a 14.3 % response rate to invitations to participate in our study. This achievement is perhaps more salient given the COVID-19 pandemic-related constraints within which we were operating. We demonstrated that the EHR can be leveraged to quickly identify potentially eligible study participants either via EHR communication or mail. We also illustrate how the online portal MyChart can be used to efficiently send targeted recruitment messages.

Messaging and mobilization: Rebel groups, social media communication, and audience engagement

Mobilization is central to the emergence, survival and success of armed groups challenging the state, and has lately expanded to new arenas with the rise of social media. Using a new dataset of rebel group Twitter use, we examined the topics contained in rebel group social media communications to understand how different messaging strategies impact civilian engagement with rebel messages. Rather than benefiting solely from direct calls to action, we found that rebel groups also increased civilian engagement through indirect messages of self-promotion. While direct appeals received more engagement than indirect appeals, their effects were tempered by audience fatigue when relied on too heavily. We additionally found that including images further enhanced the impact of a mobilizing message. These findings expanded our understanding of rebel communications and mobilization, with important implications for combating the use of social media as a recruitment tool for violent extremism.