Methods used to Recruit Sexual Minority Women into Research Studies

Background A 2011 recommendation from the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) stated sexual minorities should be included in health research studies and should be oversampled to permit meaningful analyses. This study examined methods that have been successful in identifying and studying sexual minority study subjects within the past ten years.

Methods Twelve university-based researchers from across the United States, with experience in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) research were interviewed on a variety of strategies including identification of sexual orientation, recruiting study participants, reducing sample bias, protection of confidentiality, and general advice to new researchers studying sexual minorities.

Results These investigators discussed their study designs, including their success with using the Internet and social websites. Researchers described how they modified their methods based on availability of funding. The study results showed that researchers studying sexual minorities used a variety of techniques to identify study participants due to differences in age, race, ethnicity, social economic status, culture, country of origin, and social connectivity.

Discussion The key to participation was the researcher's ability to make social connections within his/her community and establish trust with (LGBT) organizations, which then allowed for identification and recruitment of study participants. When the researcher succeeded with developing trust, then the study participants were more likely to disclose sexual orientation and other personal health information. Experience showed that LGBT organizations were more willing to assist in promoting studies when they were given access to study results; many researchers actively use these relationships to conduct their studies.