title: Retention of minority participants in clinical research studies.
abstract: Recruitment of minority participants for clinical research studies has been the topic of several analytical works. Yet retention of participants, most notably minority and underserved populations, is less reported and understood, even though these populations have elevated health risks. This article describes two related, intervention-based formative research projects in which researchers used treatment theory to address issues of recruitment and retention of minority women participants in an exercise program to reduce obesity. Treatment theory incorporates a model of health promotion that allows investigators to identify and control sources of extraneous variables. The authors' research demonstrates that treatment theory can improve retention of minority women participants by considering critical inputs, mediating processes, and substantive participant characteristics in intervention design.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, USA.
authors.forename: Colleen S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Adelita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: K Jill
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Fleuriet
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology; D018579:Patient Selection