Amelie Ramirez, DrPH¹, Alex Miller, MD², Kipling J. Gallion, MA³, and Sandra San Miguel, MPH³. (1) Center for Cancer Control Research, Baylor College of Medicine, 8207 Callaghan Road, San Antonio, TX 78230, 210-348-0255, aramirez@bcm.tmc.edu, (2) Surgical Oncology, Director, Cancer Theraphy and Research Center, 7979 Wurzbach, San Antonio, TX 78229, (3) Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center, Dept. of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 8207 Callaghan, #110, San Antonio, TX 78230

Low minority recruitment to clinical cancer trials is a major problem on many studies. Not surprisingly, there is also very little published data on the effectiveness of different recruitment strategies. This study is evaluating the effectiveness of 3 different types of recruitment methods to cancer genetic clinical trials among Hispanics in South Texas. Supported by the Texas Cancer Genetics Consortium (TCGC), selected tumor registries have provided 3000 Hispanic cancer patients from San Antonio, Texas. HIPPA regulations required that they then be contacted directly from the registry for their consent to receive materials. Five hundred and twenty individuals 520 agreed to accept registration materials. The sample was disaggregated by gender and then randomly assigned to one of 3 conditions (N=173 each). Condition X1 will receive standard materials via mail, X2 will receive X1 materials plus an English/Spanish, culturally tailored magazine on clinical trials and X3 will receive X2 materials as well as phone contact. Evaluation involves both process and outcome measures. Process evaluation includes a database to monitor the sample identification, recruitment and follow-up activities. Outcome evaluation includes receiving completed CGN Registry materials, as well as completion of a brief series of questions regarding the effectiveness of the culturally tailored magazine and effectiveness of telephone contact (for X3 only) as recruitment tools. All treatment conditions are currently active and expected to be completed by April 2004 with data analysis finished by June 2004. This session would present the results of the study with comments on future recruitment strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• List factors associated with barriers to low participation in clinical trials among Hispanic/Latino cancer registry members.
• Identify different methods of communication about those barriers to participants.
• Discuss results of the intervention and future recommendations for increasing clinical participation among Hispanic/Latino audiences.

Keywords: Clinical Trails, Hispanic

Related Web page: www.saludenaccion.org/Projects/genetics.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.