[Strategies to recruit immigrant women to participate in qualitative research].
OBJECTIVE
The present article aims to describe the process of selecting and recruiting women from distinct sociocultural backgrounds who participated in a qualitative research project and to outline the difficulties encountered according to the women's origin.


METHODS
Research was carried out in Barcelona from 2007 to 2008 to identify how culture influences participation in a breast cancer early detection program.


RESULTS
The study population consisted of native women and immigrant women from developing countries aged 40 to 69 years old resident in Barcelona. Participants were recruited through multiple strategies: key informants, cultural mediators, healthcare professionals, associations, religious institutions, the media, posters, adult education and language schools, and the population census.


CONCLUSIONS
The recruitment process cannot be confined to a single source and associations, religion institutions and cultural mediators are the most effective resources.
Pons-Vigués
Mariona
M
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. mvigues@aspb.cat
Puigpinós
Rosa
R
Rodríguez
Dolors
D
Fernández de Sanmamed
M José
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003142:Communication; D003146:Communications Media; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003906:Developing Countries; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D012067:Religion; D013030:Spain; D013664:Teaching Materials; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology