The central goal of this conference is to provide a forum for investigators committed to issues of minority health to share expertise and experience, particularly with respect to strategies for and barriers to the involvement of older ethnic and racial minority populations in both field and clinical research. The conference represents a unique collaboration among the National Institutes of Health Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research and those Claude Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers and Edward R. Roybal Centers for Research on Applied Gerontology with special emphasis on minority populations. Presenters will include investigators who have successfully recruited minority older adults to clinical trials and """"""""field studies,"""""""" as well as those with expertise in cultural factors that may affect participation of older minority adults in health-related research. The content will be empirically-based and will build on projects funded by the National Institute on Aging.
The specific aims of the conference are to: 1) examine the current science of recruitment and retention of research volunteers in older ethnic and racial minority populations; 2) using this scientific research base, stimulate critical thinking and discussion in four core scientific domains: cultural competence, barriers to participation, ethical considerations, and implementing recruitment and retention activities; 3) disseminate cutting edge scientific findings of investigators who have demonstrated effective approaches to ensure inclusion of minority populations in clinical and survey research; 4) provide a forum for constructive brainstorming and collaboration among investigators to develop approaches for meeting federal guidelines in this area; and 5) produce a series of scientific articles and related materials of use to investigators and others interested in enhancing involvement of older ethnic minorities in clinical and survey research.
