219579 Social Capital and the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial: Results from recruitment through gospel radio

Monday, November 8, 2010

Erwin J. Tan, MD , Department of Medicine/ Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Elizabeth K. Tanner, RN PhD , Johns Hopkins School of Nursing/ Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, Balitmore, MD
Kevin D. Frick, PhD , Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Tao Wang, PhD Candidate , Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Baltimore, MD
George W. Rebok, MA PhD , Department of Mental Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Teresa E. Seeman, PhD , Internal Medicine/Geriatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Qilu Yu, PhD , Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, Balitmore, MD
Qian Li Xue, PhD , Medicine, Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Baltimore, MD
Michelle C. Carlson, PhD , Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Johns Hopkins University, Balitmore, MD
Judy Green , Green + Associates, Baltimore, MD
Sylvia McGill , Greater Homewood Community Corporation, Baltimore, MD
Linda P. Fried, MD MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Medicine, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
Objectives. We determined the ability of Experience CorpsŪ Baltimore City (EC), to mobilize social capital in the form of older adult volunteer activity in public schools.

Methods. We conducted a gospel radio-based recruitment campaign for the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial, which seeks to determine EC's ability to improve academic outcomes in schools and compress the morbidity associated with aging. Radio advertisements focused on two radio stations: WCAO-AM, a full time gospel station, and WINN-FM a part-time gospel station. We used Arbitron data to estimate response rates.

Results. Of the 701 recruited participants, 115 participants 1) were ≥ 65 years of age, 2) were screened during an ad period or in the following 3 weeks, and 3) reported either WCAO-AM or WINN-FM as a source of information. Response rates (number randomized per 10,000 unique listeners) were 6.2 and 6.1 on WCAO-AM for the 1st two radio ad purchases. Response rates for subsequent ad purchases ranged between 0.3 and 3.1. While the initial response rates to the 1st two WINN FM ad purchases were zero, response rates for subsequent purchases ranged between 1.5 and 5.6.

Conclusions. Our recruitment through gospel radio demonstrates how public health interventions based on civic engagement can mobilize social capital in urban older African Americans. Recruitment through WCAO- AM suggests an initial pent-up demand for volunteer opportunities. In contrast, WINN-FM had an initially poor response rate before rising to a comparable level. This may represent evidence of how mass marketing can increase social capital by changing social norms.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
We will explain the advantages and disadvantages of recruitment over radio generally and gospel radio specifically. We will then demonstrate how we conducted recruitment for a randomized controlled trial of older adult civic engagement over Gospel Radio and present an analysis of recruitment response rates using Arbitron radio listenership data. At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to design their own radio recruitment strategy and analyze the effectiveness of the strategy.

Keywords: Media Campaigns, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Back to: 3261.0: Health Promotion for Older Adults