Information on the Recruitment and Retention of Women, Minorities, and Older Adults in Clinical Research

Information regarding the recruitment and retention of women and racial and ethnic minorities is available through the following resources:

• NIH Outreach Toolkit, provided by the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH): this toolkit provides recruitment case studies and other important information regarding the recruitment and retention of women in research.
• National Institute on Aging (NIA) Resources: The Recruiting Older Adults into Research (ROAR) Toolkit is part of a collaborative project to encourage research participation among older adults and their caregivers. It provides recruitment steps and information for volunteers. The NIA Health Professionals Information website also provides materials to assist healthcare professionals in communicating with older adults, including considerations for diverse populations. See also this featured research story on minority recruitment.
• Points to Consider about Recruitment: provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), this resource outlines important considerations for the recruitment and retention of research participants, including women and racial and ethnic minorities.
• FDA guidance: Enhancing the Diversity of Clinical Trial Populations — Eligibility Criteria, Enrollment Practices, and Trial Designs Guidance for Industry. This FDA document provides recommendations for approaches that sponsors of clinical trials can utilize to increase enrollment of underrepresented populations.
• CEAL website: The Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities website includes communication and inclusion resources that highlight the importance of diversity among research participants and how such participation is necessary for ensuring that treatments and vaccines are efficacious for all who may need them. Resources include fact sheets, information about clinical trials, handouts, videos and more.

• Researcher Story: Encouraging African Americans to Participate in Research Studies