. 2017 Jun 1;7(5):e014889. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014889

Table 4.

Recruitment strategies for South Asian populations

Recruitment strategy	Waheed, 2016³⁶	Brown, 2014³⁷	Garduno-Diaz, 2014³⁸	Macneill, 2013²⁹	Douglas, 2011⁴¹	Rooney, 2011³⁹	Samsudeen, 2011⁴²	Stirland, 2011⁴⁰	Sheikh, 2009⁹	Lloyd, 2008⁴³	Mohammadi, 2008⁴⁴	Hussain-Gambles, 2004²⁷	Shelton, 2004⁴⁶	Krupp, 2007⁴⁵
	First author, year
Language or culture driven
Translated informed consent and option for verbal consent	X	X
Demonstrated respect and knowledge of culture and traditions, ethics, training of staff in cultural awareness	X	X	X			X		X			X		X
Language knowledge or translators; employing staff with language and cultural similarities to participants; translated materials and interpreters	X	X	X				X	X					X
Support structure for education and training of staff in minority-specific issues	X								X			X
Culture-specific research tools	X		X
Demonstration of religious and cultural knowledge and sensitivity	X	X
Produce validated translated or culture-specific assessment tools	X
Provision of culturally appropriate incentives and hospitality	X
Communication and engagement
Involvement of community members, sustainable community partnerships	X		X		X		X		X			X		X
Involving family members in recruitment process	X	X											X
Development of trust and personal relationships	X	X				X	X	X					X
Constant communication and follow-up, effective dissemination			X					X					X
Recruitment at places of worship and community centres, health practices with high percentage of minorities, ethnically dense areas, through ethnic-specific modes of communication	X		X									X	X
Direct physician recruitment, interaction with senior investigators	X	X			X
Engagement of South Asian media	X
Employing patients and public or seeking input into study design and conduct	X
Academic–community partnerships	X
Engagement with study participants post-study completion													X
Logistics and accommodations
Allowing sufficient time to review study materials and information during recruitment		X											X
Personalised versus written contact						X	X			X
Flexibility (location, timing of appointments, childcare, transportation)	X					X		X
Funding to support logistic considerations related to involvement of South Asians in research	X	X						X
Face-to-face conduct of data collection				X
Catering to gender-specific needs	X
Focus groups to identify recruitment barriers												X
Visual aids and reduced reliance on verbal exchange			X	X						X
Policy and study design
Assurance of confidentiality	X
Widening eligibility criteria												X
Government supported mandates to include South Asians in research									X
Snowball sampling			X								X
Employment of multiple strategies											X	X
Compensation and incentives
Incentives (financial or otherwise), reciprocal benefits	X	X	X			X		X	X				X
Offering of educational opportunities to attract South Asian health professionals												X
Providing counselling or education on clinical condition of participants	X