Church rosters: is this a viable mechanism for effectively recruiting African Americans for a community-based survey?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this report is to describe the process, results, and implications in the phone recruitment of African Americans through church rosters for a survey of diet-and blood pressure-related awareness and hypertension prevalence.


METHODS
The survey was conducted using a non-probability sample of churches and a random selection of participants from church rosters. Recruitment strategies included frequent contact with pastors and church representatives, presentations, standard and tailored recruitment approaches, and bi-annual progress reports. Church representatives provided the rosters and assisted in arranging interviews, which were conducted at church or the participants' homes.


RESULTS
Of 742 randomly selected, 315 (42.4%) were ineligible because of an unavailable or unreachable number, a move, discontinued church membership, death, or other reasons. Of the 344 eligible, 45.8% participated, 30.2% refused, 4.4% agreed to participate but did not, and 19.6% were incompletes (called less than three times before recruitment was terminated). Among participants, 70.4% were female, 58.2% had completed college, and the age range was 19-91 years. The survey's sample size goal of 196 was met.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study population, over 45% who were eligible participated. Rapport established with church representatives and congregations was critical to the sampling process. Using church rosters can be a low-cost, effective recruitment tool. However, key factors to consider when recruiting African Americans in this manner include: trust, study eligibility criteria, roster accuracy, and time, and generalizability.
Carter-Edwards
Lori
L
Rho, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA. EDWARDSL@RHOWORLD.COM
Fisher
John T
JT
Vaughn
Benjamin J
BJ
Svetkey
Laura P
LP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D003256:Community Participation; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D015995:Prevalence; D012067:Religion