title: Minority participation in a school-based randomized clinical trial of tooth decay prevention in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the strategies-based on the social triad concept of a partnership of researchers, school personnel and community-employed to recruit low-income, minority parent/caregivers of kindergarten children into a school-based tooth decay prevention trial in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study site was an urban school district with five elementary schools. Recruitment was carried out once each year for three years. Recruitment involved strategies at the school district, school, classroom, and student-parent level. A coalition of researchers, school personnel and community individuals was established for communication and recruitment. Outreach workers from the community were hired to promote, recruit, and disseminate oral health information. Study promotion included both print materials (logos, flyers, pictorial story boards) and presentations at school and community events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The School District Superintendent and administrators approved the study, and all five school principals and kindergarten teachers participated. All children within the classrooms were eligible: the overall participation rate of was 86% (580/672). Community outreach workers actively facilitated the recruitment and participants were recruited at open house for parent-teacher meeting (37% of all participants), sending letters and consent forms home (31%), at a prearranged convenient time during drop off and pick up of the child at their respective schools (30%), curriculum nights and health fairs (2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Utilizing the social triad concept led to success in planning and carrying out the recruitment of predominantly minority school children with high participation rates.
authors: School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4905, USA. sxn15@case.edu
authors: Suchitra
authors: S
authors: Nelson
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Milgrom
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology