Effective recruitment strategies utilized in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic to examine dietary practices and colorectal cancer screening practices of Blacks in New York City

ABSTRACT

African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates of all racial groups in the U.S. Factors that may be contributing to these high rates, however, remain poorly understood. Specifically, this study assessed the relationship between dietary habits and colorectal cancer screening behavior and intent among individuals who identify as Black, with their ethnicity as African-American, Caribbean, and African. There are many factors that influence dietary habits, and a salient factor is culture. Many studies have experienced challenges recruiting in communities of color for various reasons. The purpose of this presentation is to describe recruitment methods utilized for this study in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to discuss challenges, strategies that were implemented and lessons learned that can inform and improve future recruitment efforts. Effective recruitment strategies included partnership, consistent engagement, and meeting people in places where they frequent and felt comfortable. Utilizing faith-based locations, barbershops, hair salons, and pivotal community locations allowed individuals to trust the researchers, and also eliminated the need to retain study subjects over a period of time, due to on-site data collection. Though our findings are limited to Black families in predominantly minority neighborhoods, we have identified Cicely successful strategies for this specific high-risk population and potentially similar others.