Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #119164

Donoria Wilkerson¹, Hayley Briggs, BA¹, Frank Baker, PhD², Nadine Kaslow, PhD³, Evelyn Koenig, MA⁴, Marina Demetrashvili, MD, PhD³, Natasha Johnson, PhD³, Marni Grall, PhD³, Otis Brawley, MD⁵, and Youngmee Kim, PhD¹. (1) Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society, 1599 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, 404-327-6511, donoria.wilkerson@cancer.org, (2) Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30322, (3) Emory University Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Grady Health Systems, 80 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE, 13D-018, Atlanta, GA 30303, (4) Grady Health System, 80 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30303, (5) Georgia Cancer Coalition Center of Excellence at Grady, Emory University Winship Cancer Center, 69 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30303

Breast Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death of American women. Although breast cancer incidence among minority women is lower, they have approximately 30% more deaths each year. Despite recent advances in breast cancer screening, treatment, and survival, disparities for ethnic minorities continue. In an effort to alleviate this burden, research must focus on barriers to minority participation. This qualitative analysis was designed to develop tailored recruitment and retention methods, utilized for a larger study on breast cancer treatment adherence. Fifty-women diagnosed with breast cancer will be recruited from a comprehensive cancer center at a major metropolitan Atlanta hospital, where >90% of patients are ethnic minorities and/or indigent. Presently, 31 patients have been recruited. Through a multi-level approach, patients are enrolled by familiar social workers and post-doctoral fellows, increasing their comfort with interviewers and allowing for candid dialogue. By scheduling interviews concurrently with patient appointments and maintaining flexibility in interview administration, we have decreased patient burden and attempted to overcome patient barriers. In addition, the use of practical incentives, such as grocery store gift cards, increased the probability that patients would complete questionnaires during and after their appointments. However, transportation difficulties, long wait-times, and the transient nature of the population have hindered retention. These issues have been addressed by drawing on staff resources for patient tracking, patient assistance programs, and administering questionnaires during wait-times. By using this model, future research may increase minority recruitment and retention, improving generalizability of results and effective implementation of interventions in minority communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply the recruitment and retention methods to breast cancer research in underserved communities.
• Adapt model to the needs of their targeted population.
• Recognize the effectiveness of utilizing hospital support staff in clinical research.

Keywords: Minority Research, Adherence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.