Customize your dementia clinical trial recruitment materials with OutreachPro!
September 06, 2023

Jeanne JARVIS-GIBSON,
Division of Extramural Activities (DEA).

Melissa MCGOWAN,
Deputy Director of Office of Clinical Research,
Division of Extramural Activities (DEA).

As we continue our pursuit of innovative approaches to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, it is imperative to increase the participation of traditionally underrepresented populations in research studies. As featured in NIA’s National Strategy for Recruitment and Participation in Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Clinical Research, this endeavor is paramount to meeting our research goals.

One challenge that we have identified is a need for better tools and other resources that will enable dementia researchers to enhance recruitment and retention of underrepresented participants in clinical research. Although culturally appropriate and targeted recruitment materials have been proven effective, many scientists do not have the time, staff, or budget to create these themselves. To assist in overcoming these obstacles, NIA is pleased to share OutreachPro, a free, online platform designed to help efficiently create effective, customized recruitment materials.

Refining and enhancing

The OutreachPro tool includes recruitment materials for multiple audiences in several languages, including English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Hindi. OutreachPro and its materials were systematically created through literature reviews, listening sessions with stakeholders, focus groups, surveys, and user feedback testing. We especially thank the many NIA grantees who participated in user testing, which helped us to improve the functionality and user experience of the platform.

How to get started

After creating a free account, users can follow a guided, step-by-step process to select the materials they want to create. Materials can be developed for study-specific activities, general information on clinical research, and/or general brain health information. Available materials include handouts, brochures, posters, radio scripts, social media posts, videos, and, coming soon, study-specific websites.

Users then choose from a suite of audience-tested images, headlines, and text to generate materials for their target audiences and languages. OutreachPro also enables users to brand certain materials by adding logos, contact information, and institution brand colors. Materials can be saved and edited as needed.

Try it out and contact us with questions!

We encourage you to explore OutreachPro, starting with the video on the homepage that showcases how OutreachPro works. Additionally, if you’re interested in learning more about clinical trial diversity, register for the “Innovating for Inclusion: Making Clinical Research More Diverse” webinar at 2 p.m. ET on Oct. 31. During the webinar, you will hear perspectives from the OutreachPro team, an NIA-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center representative, and a recent clinical trial participant.

Please help us spread the word among your research colleagues on how OutreachPro can help meet your clinical trial recruitment needs. If you have questions, email Jeanne Jarvis-Gibson or Melissa McGowan, or leave a comment below!