How can we increase participation of minority communities in research?

Background: There is a critical need to increase understanding of why health disparities exist and how to eliminate them. Higher minority participation in research would begin to provide some answers, and be a first step toward ensuring that all communities benefit equitably from research findings. The objective of this study was to identify barriers, concerns and strategies around research involvement for underrepresented communities. Methods: Asian American, African American and Latino community members were recruited from the greater San Francisco Bay area. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were conducted. Data were transcribed and analyzed for common themes. Results: The sample (n=65, 67% female, 33% male, age range 20-85) had diverse backgrounds and included advocates working with organizations serving the underrepresented community. There were barriers identified common to all three minority groups that prevent underrepresented communities from participating in research, e.g. concerns around confidentiality and a lack of knowledge around research. There were also barriers specific to each group. Latinos and Asian Americans expressed that language barriers affect their knowledge and understanding about the value and process of research. Conclusions: Strategies to increase participation of underrepresented minorities include 1) having researchers or intermediaries from the respective community, working with community, 2) creating and establishing true partnership relationships with respective communities, and 3) providing training to other researchers on how to best work with the diverse groups. Addressing the barriers and working to increase minority participation will reduce health disparities by ultimately enhancing our ability to provide culturally relevant quality care and treatment.