Recruitment of low income, predominantly minority cancer survivors to a randomized trial of the I Can Cope cancer education program

J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2011 Aug;22(3):912-24. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2011.0069.

Abstract

This report describes recruitment of minority cancer survivors for a randomized trial of I Can Cope, a support program of the American Cancer Society. Survivor Education and Evaluation (SURE), was designed to recruit patients, age 19 and older, with a primary cancer diagnosis. Recruitment was primarily carried out in a public hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Of 373 patients approached, 226 were eligible for the study, 175 consented, and 140 were randomized during the 20-month recruitment period. Only 43 declined participation. This resulted in a 61.9% recruitment yield. The mean age of participants was 54.2 years (SD=10.9), 92 (65.7%) were female, and 111 (79.3%) were African American. Twenty-three different cancers were represented including breast (37.1%), colorectal (12.1%), hematologic (12.9%), and lung (7.1%). Over half (63%) had been diagnosed within 12 months. The experience of the SURE project provides evidence for optimism in recruiting racial minorities to cancer research studies.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alabama
  • American Cancer Society
  • Black or African American / education
  • Female
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Minority Groups / education*
  • Neoplasms / ethnology*
  • Patient Selection*
  • Poverty*
  • Program Evaluation
  • Survivors / psychology*
  • United States