Background
Enrolling participants from underrepresented ethnoracial groups in aging research remains a persistent challenge. University of Pittsburgh researchers tested an intensive community engagement approach that combined multiple recruitment strategies to recruit a diverse sample of older adults from a small-town area into a longitudinal aging study.
Enrolling participants from underrepresented ethnoracial groups in aging research remains a persistent challenge. University of Pittsburgh researchers tested an intensive community engagement approach that combined multiple recruitment strategies to recruit a diverse sample of older adults from a small-town area into a longitudinal aging study.
Findings
Over four years, a steady trickle of individuals signed up for study information, including 66% who self-identified as Black. The share of people who eventually enrolled increased each year, from 68% to 94%. Community events, word-of-mouth referrals, and mailed postcards yielded the most contacts.
Citation
Jacobsen E, Lucas H, Moran C, Dixon RG, Ganguli M. Recruitment of a Diverse Community-based Older Adult Cohort for a Longitudinal Aging Study: The 15104 Seniors Project. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2024 Apr-Jun 01;38(2):160-167. doi: 10.1097/WAD.0000000000000618.
The study is available at Alzheimer’s Disease & Associated Disorders.
*Content last updated September 2026
