Callback time preference for prescreening visits among Black residents in the Boston area: findings from two...

Black adults are underrepresented in cardiovascular disease clinical trials. Individual and social circumstances may limit when they are available to complete trial prescreening requirements. Characterizing preferences related to callback times and the impact of calling during preferred times could inform strategies to improve the recruitment of Black adults into clinical research. Our objectives were to characterize prescreening call preferences and successfully reaching a potential participant among adults inquiring about participation in two trials for Black residents of Boston.

The GoFreshRx and GoFresh trials examine the effect of a home-delivered Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-patterned grocery intervention on blood pressure among Black adults with or without hypertension treatment in Boston. With the exception of the study population, both trials were identical and used the same recruitment apparatus for outreach. Interested persons completed a common online form for both trials and indicated their preferred callback time. Staff call attempts and participant screening status were logged prospectively. Gender was estimated based on first name, using a published algorithm. Odds ratios (OR) were determined via logistic regression models with adjustment for estimated gender, recruitment source, method of inquiry, and first call during preferred callback time.

Of 2870 inquiries (September 2022-July 2023), 1740 participants were called and 1286 were reached. Out of the 1740 participants, 25% preferred to be called before noon and 22% after 4 pm, yet only 10% of the latter were called after 4 pm. Calling during preferred times significantly increased the odds of reaching participants (OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.85) and completing a prescreening interview (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.71). Staff outreach 8-12 weeks (vs 0-4 weeks) after inquiry submission was significantly associated with lower odds of completing a prescreening interview (OR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.73). Participants who made inquiries via return mail were significantly less likely to be reached outside work hours (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.90) and in the afternoon (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.88). Participants recruited through community events were more likely to be reached in the afternoon (OR: 2.71; 95% CI: 1.06, 6.97).

Contacting participants during their preferred callback time was associated with reaching them and completing a prescreening interview. These data highlight the importance of study teams' flexibility in outreach time to enhance the recruitment of Black adults into cardiovascular clinical trials.