Pre-COVID-19 pandemic vs. post-COVID-19 pandemic: Sustained participation of minorities in research in a CAP accredited biorepository in UC San Diego, California

ABSTRACT

Background: The UC San Diego (UCSD) Moores Cancer Center Biorepository (BR) is a College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited core providing a full array of biological samples services including tissue biobanking. Informed consent (IC) is obtained through an IRB-approved protocol. The MORE (Minorities Outreach Repository Effort) Initiative was launched in 2018 as an effort to increase the enrollment of minorities, and has since shown an accrual increase 213% as compared with previous years. As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected enrollment in many research studies we decided to reevaluate subject accrual. Methods: Data analysis was performed for Pre-COVID-19 pandemic enrollment from July 2019 to March 2020 and Post-COVID-19 pandemic enrollment from March 2020 to December 2020. Patients from the oncology clinics were identified by the BR or the treating teams, and pre-screened for potential enrollment. Eligible patients were interviewed by coordinators and an IC was obtained. In the IC, the patients were given the option of sharing the tissues for research with university researchers (UR) and/or for-profit (FP) organizations. Race and ethnicity data were acquired from the Epic electronic medical record (EMR). Patients were interviewed in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Farsi, Tagalog, Simplified Chinese, or Arabic. Due to interviewing restrictions during the pandemic, protocol was amended to add added the possibility of remote IC via video/phone teleconferencing. Results: Global patient participation decreased by 30% due to the pandemic, with pre-COVID rates at 107.88 patient/month and Post-COVID rates of 31.25/month (69.56 ±38.31). Enrollment of Hispanic populations has remained remarkably similar (22 %;22.18 ±0.18) for the same period. When compared with pre and post pandemic participation, data showed no significant difference among races (p=0.99). There was a slight increase in the rate of acceptance to share specimens with UR among Hispanics (30% Pre-COVID vs. 33% Post-COVID). The non-Hispanic cohort was associated with an increase (19% vs. 33%, p= 0.33) in their resistance to share with FP collaborations in Post-COVID-19 pandemic participation (Pre- COVID-19 19% vs. Post-COVID-19 30%). Conclusions: The MORE initiative is an efficient and effective way of increasing and sustaining the participation of minorities, despite COVID-19 research restrictions. Our ongoing efforts are focused on enhancing remote consenting methodologies, increasing subjects' participation, and sustaining minority involvement in research for biobanking.