Abstract B089: Barriers and facilitators to recruiting minorities into clinical trials: Research staff perspectives
Authors: Serrano Mayra , Kittles Rick , Burnham Leanne , Ashing Kimlin T. , Galloway Dorothy , Guardado Danielle 
Published: January 2023

Background: The recruitment of ethnic minorities into clinical trials and cancer research is a formidable challenge. Minorities constitute 42% of the US population, however, they generally don’t reach their proportional representation in clinical trials. Latinos make up only 2.6% and African Americans only 6% of therapeutic cancer clinical trial participants. Additionally, minorities experience higher incidence rates and worse outcomes compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. To date, barriers and facilitators for the recruitment of minorities into clinical trials focus mostly on the patient and physician level. This study examined the facilitators and barriers for clinical trial participation among minorities from the perspective of principal investigators/clinicians, study staff, and research support staff at a comprehensive cancer center. Methods: A mixed-methods design combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate factors that would facilitate recruitment of minorities into research form the perspective of principal investigators/clinicians, study staff, and research support staff. Six focus groups were conducted with 3 different groups (principal investigators/clinicians, study staff, and research support staff) to identify the facilitators and barriers. Participant also completed a short survey. Results: A total of 27 focus groups participants participated across the 6 virtual focus group. Most (83%) were female, heterosexual (92%), single (46%), and Latino (61%). Most (50%) are not asked to provide input during the design of the study protocol and recruitment efforts but would like to (67%). Most (71%) stated that language is barrier to enrolling patient onto clinical trials. Most (75%) stated that patient would benefit from a patient navigator to provide clinical trial navigation. Most (67% stated that not enough funding is allocated to recruitment efforts and most (75%) stated they would benefit from training on how to recruit minorities into clinical trials. Several barriers and facilitators emerged during the focus groups including barriers such as lack of diverse staff, lack of in language consent forms, insurance coverage, and lack of diverse patients. The facilitators identified include racial/ethnic concordance for recruiter and patient, language concordance, in-language materials, sufficient time allotment, and funding for recruitment (e.g., transportation vouchers, flyers). Conclusions: Across all participants groups (Principal investigators/clinicians, study staff, and research support staff) there were many similarities in the perceived barriers and facilitators to recruiting minorities into clinical trials. The main emerging theme was hiring a diverse staff for racial/ethnic and language concordance as well as providing staff training on engaging minorities. This study highlights perceived barriers and facilitators to increase minority participation in cancer clinical trials from the perspective of research staff.

Citation Format: Mayra Serrano, Rick Kittles, Leanne Burnham, Kimlin T. Ashing, Dorothy Galloway, Danielle Guardado. Barriers and facilitators to recruiting minorities into clinical trials: Research staff perspectives [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B089.