Community-Engaged Approaches for Minority Recruitment Into Clinical Research: A Scoping Review of the Literature.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings Mar 2021
Efforts to increase participation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical research have long faced challenges, despite federal mandates and comparable willingness among these groups to participate. A scoping review of 66 studies revealed that community-engaged research (CEnR) strategies—ranging from simply informing communities to full co-leadership—can improve recruitment outcomes. Most studies used descriptive methods and involved community advisory boards (CABs) to guide recruitment efforts. These boards often included trusted local leaders and members of the target population, helping to build trust and tailor outreach strategies to cultural and contextual needs.
While the review found a wide range of successful engagement practices, it also highlighted a lack of comparative studies evaluating which strategies work best. Many efforts operated at lower levels of engagement, such as informing or consulting, which may limit community influence over research decisions. In contrast, higher levels of engagement—like collaboration and co-leadership—were associated with stronger trust, sustainable partnerships, and more effective recruitment. The findings suggest that meaningful community involvement is key to improving equity in research participation, but more rigorous studies are needed to determine the most effective approaches.