Stigma as a Barrier to Participant Recruitment of Minority Populations in Diabetes Research: Viewpoint and Lessons Learned From a Randomized Control Trial of Virtual Diabetes Self-Management Education
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
The development of evidence-based care geared towards Black/African American and Latina women living with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes is contingent upon their active recruitment into clinical interventions. Well-documented impediments to recruitment include a historical mistrust of the research community and socioeconomic factors that limit awareness and access to research studies. While sociocultural and socioeconomic factors deter minorities from participating in clinical research, it is equally important to consider the role of stigma in chronic disease intervention studies.
Objective:
Objective:
We aim to share our discovery of diabetes-related stigma as an under-recognized impediment to recruitment for the Women in Control 2.0 virtual diabetes self-management education study.
Methods:
Methods:
Our initial recruitment plan utilized traditional strategies to recruit minority women with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, including letters and phone calls to targeted patients, referrals from clinicians, and posted flyers. After engaging a patient advisory group and consulting with experts in community advocacy, diabetes-related stigma emerged as a prominent barrier to recruitment. The study team reviewed and revised recruitment scripts and outreach material in order to better align with the lived experience and needs of potential enrollees.
Results:
Results:
Utilizing a more nuanced, community-centered recruitment approach, we achieved our target recruitment goal, enrolling 309 participants into the study, exceeding our target of 212.
Conclusions:
Conclusions:
There is a need for updated recruitment methods that can increase research participation of patients who experience internalized diabetes stigma. In order to address disparities in minority health, further research is needed to better understand diabetes-related stigma and devise strategies to avert or address it. Clinical Trial: NCT02726425
Citation
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Copyright
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