Do you want to avoid the hassle of traveling with your printed poster? IAPHS2026 is pleased to make poster printing available to you through our supplier PosterSessionOnline. Your poster will be professionally reviewed, printed and shipped directly to Portland and you will be able to pick it up from the Poster desk. Click here to learn more.
Primary Submission Category: Methodological approaches to studying public health
Justice-centered recruitment and retention strategies in a randomized controlled trial of concentrated investment in Black neighborhoods
Authors: Keven Cabrera, Rikley Costa Paixao, Helena Jeudin, Ashley Tryba, Craig Terry, Hilena Addis, Evan Spencer, Nicole Thomas, Aditi Vasan, Atheendar Venkataramani, Eugenia South,
Presenting Author: Keven Cabrera*
Researchers frequently encounter challenges with recruitment and retention of minoritized populations in clinical trials. Barriers to study participation, including institutional mistrust, negative perceptions of research, housing instability, and inequitable access to technology (e.g. mobile phones or email), can both threaten research validity and perpetuate disparities in population health knowledge and innovation. We conducted an NIH funded community-based cluster-randomized controlled trial of a suite of environmental (vacant lot greening, tree planting, litter removal) and economic (financial counseling, connection to public benefits, tax preparation, and a $400 microgrant) interventions in majority Black, lower socioeconomic status neighborhoods in Philadelphia, PA from 9/2022 to 11/2023. We approached recruitment and retention of a population thought to be “difficult to reach” by centering justice-oriented strategies in trial design and execution. Our study team successfully recruited 571 participants (87.6% Black, 50.8% Female, and 58.7% with an annual household income < $45K). Using an ongoing qualitative reflection process and field note analysis, we have identified emerging themes on how our study team overcame barriers and found opportunities for meaningful participant engagement including: community IRB approval before launching the study; hiring of local, identity congruent team members to conduct participant facing activities; a modified random walk recruitment methodology; sustained one-on-one participant contact throughout study period; regular team refinement and practice of culturally humble communication; strategic, personalized messaging; sustained community partner involvement; and dynamic adaption of follow-up protocols to reach as many participants as possible. Using these approaches, we maintained a 71% follow-up rate over two years, demonstrating feasibility of meaningful research engagement with historically marginalized communities.