Research with Vulnerable Childbearing Women: Recruitment & Retention Strategies

Paper

Wednesday, 19 July 2006

This presentation is part of : Nursing Research Methods and Models

M. Cynthia Logsdon, DNS, ARNP, School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA and June Andrews Horowitz, PhD, FAAN, William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.

Learning Objective #1: Describe successful recruitment strategies that protect the rights of vulnerable populations of childbearing women.
Learning Objective #2: Analyze successful retention strategies that protect the rights of vulnerable populations of childbearing women.

Because of their unique health care needs, vulnerable populations are frequently the focus of nursing research. In addition, humanitarian issues, national health objectives (Healthy People 2010), a concern over the best use of limited health care resources, and research sample inclusion guidelines by the National Institute of Health also contribute to a nursing research focus on vulnerable populations. However, volunteers from vulnerable populations are often challenging to recruit due to multiple demands on their limited time and resources, distrust of researchers who represent “the system,” fear of disclosure, etc. In addition, the transient nature and situational stressors of many vulnerable populations makes retention in research studies difficult. The purpose of this presentation is to describe successful recruitment and retention strategies used by nurse researchers from two regions of the United States. The scientific literature in the area will be summarized, and personal success stories and challenges will be shared. Recruitment and retention of childbearing women who are diverse in age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status will be discussed. Principles from the presentation can be applied in research with vulnerable childbearing women in many international settings. In addition, generating strategies and creating approaches to successful recruitment and retention of vulnerable populations is an important contribution to nursing science and to promoting the exchange of research methodology in an international forum.

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