Guidelines for research recruitment of underserved populations (EERC).

Area of Science:

• Health equity research
• Health disparities science
• Community-based participatory research

Background:

• Persistent health disparities hinder the achievement of health equity.
• Inadequate recruitment of underserved populations limits the development of culturally-tailored interventions.
• A systematic approach to research participant recruitment is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose new guidelines for the recruitment of underserved populations in research.
• To address the lack of practical and comprehensive recruitment frameworks.
• To introduce the EERC (evaluate, engage, reflect, and carefully match) guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Delineation of the EERC guidelines.
• Illustration of EERC guideline application through a case study.
• Focus on four key components: team evaluation, community engagement, cultural reflection, and matching techniques.

Main Results:

• The EERC guidelines provide a structured approach to research recruitment.
• Concrete examples demonstrate how EERC enhances recruitment of underserved populations.
• The proposed framework is applicable across various research designs and populations.

Conclusions:

• The EERC guidelines are intended for broad applicability in health and nursing research.
• Implementing these guidelines can increase research recruitment of underserved groups.
• The ultimate goal is to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity.