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Minutes of Recruitment & Retention Workgroup

September 16, 1999

Conference call on Thursday, September 22, 1999 — Population Targeting Issues

Present:
Tamara Sher
Judy Johnston
Meredith Pearson
Carla Boutin
Alice Jackson
Lisa Strycker
Mary Charlson
Lisa Vasser (minutes taken by)

Not Present:
Russell Glasgow, Belinda Borrelli, Mace Coday, Paula McKinley
1) Strategies for Enhancing Recruitment and Retention (especially for hard to reach populations)
  1. Develop avenues of communication with targeted group (e.g., use of peer liaisons; use of focus groups)
  2. Offer meaningful incentives by asking for input and giving choices (e.g., ask participants what type of incentives they want; offer food in addition to the incentive, or offer grocery store gift certificates as a chose)
  3. Establish a buddy system/Give participants responsibility (e.g., pair participants up and give them responsibility for one another to follow the intervention program and for attendance at meetings and visits).
  4. Find someone participants can relate to (e.g., hire a project staff member who is similar to the targeted group)
  5. Meet participants where they are (e.g., be prepared to accommodate different literacy levels)
  6. Take your services to the neighborhood of targeted group (e.g., establish locations for participation in places the targeted group already goes so as to enhance intervention convenience, familiarity, and trust)
  7. Think out of the box (e.g., try a novel strategy if your original plan is not working)
  8. Provide feedback and thanks to participants in meaningful ways (e.g., write a thank you note or send a sympathy card)
  9. Establish relationship with Pastor and/or his/her spouse (e.g., utilize close-knit congregational relationships to foster program participation)
  10. Establish system at the beginning for participants to assist with recruitment (e.g., participants are encouraged to find someone else to participate so they will have a replacement when they complete program)
  11. Develop materials that participants can use (e.g., audio or video tapes along with written materials)
2) Methods for Tracking
  1. Obtain multiple contacts for participants.
  2. Develop or utilize existing data base.
  3. Use a centralized data management system.
  4. Hold focus groups.
  5. Promote use of buddy systems.
3) Barriers
PLEASE SEND ANY NON-REDUNDANT INFORMATION: What has worked? What has not worked? What simple rules or strategies have been useful in guiding your team? What do your participants like? What do your participants not like?
4) Summary by Dr. Mary Charlson
It is key to share what we are doing for recruitment and retention, and what works and what doesn't. Qualitative research strategies, such as focus groups, may be key to understanding what is happening. Approaches to specific ethnic and cultural groups may differ from approaches to organizations. Training both staff and peer educators is key. It is important to frame the project as a partnership and to mean it. It is important to reach people where they live, work, and play. Retention efforts require persistence: an organizational approach (i.e. a buddy system), and staff training to deal with clashes/ issues. Repeated phone contacts may be required.