Strategies for Recruiting a Diverse Postpartum Survey Sample

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maternal Health Equity
• Health Disparities Research

Background:

• Diverse data are crucial for maternal health equity interventions.
• Recruiting postpartum individuals, especially from minoritized groups, presents significant challenges.
• Addressing recruitment barriers is essential for inclusive health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a recruitment strategy for a diverse postpartum population.
• To include individuals with a language preference other than English (LPOE) and those missing postpartum visits.
• To identify key strategies for successful recruitment in an urban safety-net hospital.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted among postpartum individuals.
• Recruitment occurred before, during, and after obstetrics/pediatrics clinic visits.
• Study materials were trilingual; surveys offered in-person, phone, or online completion.

Main Results:

• 120 postpartum individuals completed the survey (49% response rate).
• 83.1% self-identified as Black or Hispanic; 30.2% had an LPOE.
• Key strategies included multilingual materials, adaptive recruitment, pediatric outreach, and varied contact methods.

Conclusions:

• A multi-stage, multilingual, multi-method strategy successfully recruited a diverse postpartum sample.
• Pediatrics-based outreach and flexible modes of contact were vital.
• This approach can guide more inclusive postpartum health research.