title: Promoting recruitment of minority ethnic groups into research: qualitative study exploring the views of South Asian people with asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to understand the barriers and facilitators to participation in research from the perspectives of South Asian people with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight focus groups were conducted in the preferred language of participants. Sampling was purposeful to ensure inclusion of males and females from differing ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The forming of trusting relationships was described as pivotal to the successful recruitment of minority ethnic groups into research; personalized approaches were likely to be better received than more impersonal written approaches. Notable barriers to participation included: the stigma of being labelled with asthma; concerns surrounding participation in pharmaceutical trials; major time or travel commitments and a failure to show respect by not making information available in minority ethnic languages. Flexibility, in terms of timing, location and respecting of cultural and religious sensitivities around gender segregation, together with the offer of incentives, were highlighted as key factors to promote participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The barriers to recruitment are largely surmountable, but these will necessitate the use of resource intensive and more personalized approaches than are commonly employed for the White European origin population. Our proposed model to enhance recruitment is likely to have transferability beyond the field of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health,  Nursing and Midwifery, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley PA1 2BE,  UK.
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhopal
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halani
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Martyn R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Partridge
authors.forename: Gopal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Netuveli
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Car
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheikh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D035843:Biomedical Research; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003469:Culture; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult