Promoting the recruitment of historically underrepresented children and families in clinical trials: Perspectives of pediatric clinic staff

TL;DR

This paper explores how pediatric clinic staff can help increase participation of underrepresented children and families in clinical trials.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into practical strategies for recruiting marginalized populations in pediatric research.

Findings

Researchers can use practice reports to identify potential participants with limited access to care.

Pediatric providers can discuss research opportunities during well visits to build trust and awareness.

Collaboration between research and clinical staff is key to improving recruitment diversity.

Abstract

Children and families from historically marginalized ethnic/racial backgrounds have low participation in clinical trials and pediatric practice staff perspectives on this topic are underexplored.

We conducted interviews (n = 20) with pediatric practice staff and used rapid template analysis to identify themes and sub-themes.

We identified several primary themes related to strategies that both research staff and pediatric practice staff can use in order to support the recruitment of historically marginalized populations into research. For example, researchers can facilitate running reports within practices to identify potential trial participants with limited access to care and pediatric providers can offer research opportunities at well visits noting potential benefits of research and directly discuss mistrust in research.

While the dynamics involved in the recruitment of historically marginalized children and families into trials are inherently complex, we identified several concrete strategies to support this work and increase diversity in pediatric clinical trials.