Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Populations in Alzheimer's Disease Research: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examined 22 published reports describing recruitment and retention of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in Alzheimer’s disease research or underrepresented participants’ perspectives regarding participation in such research. The authors concluded that considerable scientific gaps limit the use of prior efforts by scientists to bolster inclusion of members from underrepresented groups. They recommend that future studies on this topic use improved methodological standards and uniform measures for evaluating recruitment, participation, and inclusivity.

The authors also noted that the foundation of Alzheimer’s recruitment science is likely to reflect the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) cohort characteristics and infrastructure, so it will also be important to establish the effectiveness of research and recruitment strategies for institutions and communities that are not associated with the ADRCs.

Gilmore-Bykovskyia AL, Jin Y, Gleason C, et al. Recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations in Alzheimer’s disease research: A systematic review. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2019;5:751-770.