Paper
Sunday, November 4, 2007

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This presentation is part of : Strategies for Vulnerable Populations
Recruitment Strategies for Vulnerable Populations
Christie W. Shelton, RN, MSN, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL, USA and Sharee Hutchinson, BS, College of Nursing and Healt h Sciences, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL, USA.
Learning Objective #1: Identify recruitment methods for children and economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals in an environmentally contaminated population.
Learning Objective #2: Discuss ethical concerns related to research in vulnerable populations when compounded by environmental injustice issues.

Conducting research in vulnerable populations can be a challenge, even for the most experienced researcher. Many vulnerable populations view research as a threat or as a potential for their vulnerabilities to be exploited. Issues with recruitment in these populations are many times compounded by other problems such as environmental justice concerns.

 

A variety of methods must be implemented to initiate recruitment into studies and to preserve the enrollment of these vulnerable groups. Provisions must be made for those who are educationally disadvantaged so that full understanding of the research process is possible. The researchers must consider the priorities of the group and seek input from the community, preferably through a community liaison to address concerns of the prospective participants.

 

This presentation will focus on recruitment strategies utilized in an environmentally exposed population and the barriers and successes experienced by the researchers. Ethical concerns and the impact of those concerns on recruitment will also be discussed.