Rutgers Health experts, conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic, found that radio is an effective recruitment tool
South Asian American women increasingly are diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages and with more advanced disease compared with other groups, a fact made even more alarming because they are underrepresented in studies, said Jaya Satagopan, an associate dean for faculty affairs and professor at the School of Public Health and member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
A study she led tackles a crucial factor in addressing the issue: the recruitment of South Asian women in research.
The study, published in PLOS ONE, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that broadcast media, such as radio, is an effective recruitment tool.
“Collaborating with a community-based radio station to disseminate study information allowed listeners to hear directly from the researchers, thus helped strengthen community partnerships and credibility at a time when traditional in-person community interactions were suspended due to the pandemic,” said Satagopan.
The research, known as the South Asian Breast Cancer (SABCa) study, was initially focused on understanding breast cancer-related health attitudes in this rapidly growing, yet understudied population. But Satagopan shifted her research focus during the pandemic to recruitment while working with local community organizations, potentially reshaping future community-based health research.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study on recruiting South Asian American women through community partnerships during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Satagopan added.
Recruitment efforts included outreach to multiple community organizations in 2021 to disseminate the SABCa study information. Researchers noted that as these organizations progressively engaged with pandemic-related needs, they had to redirect their strategy. This included community radio, Rutgers Cancer…
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