title: Trust Building Recruitment Strategies for Researchers Conducting Studies in African American (AA) Churches: Lessons Learned.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An initial and vital important step in recruiting participants for church-based hospice and palliative care research is the establishment of trust and credibility within the church community. Mistrust of medical research is an extremely important barrier hindering recruitment in African American (AA) communities. A church-based EOL dementia education project is currently being conducted at four large urban AA churches. Church leaders voiced mistrust concerns of previous researchers who conducted investigations in their faith-based institutions. We explored strategies to ameliorate the mistrust concerns. Specific aim: To identify trust-rebuilding elements for researchers following others who violated trust of AA church leaders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted from a convenient sample of four established AA church leaders. Interviews were held in the informants' churches to promote candor and comfort in revealing sensitive information about trust /mistrust. Content analysis framework was used to analyze the data. Elements identified from the analysis were then used to create themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multidimensional overarching themes emerged from the analysis included: Experience with researchers (positive and extremely negative), violation of trust and trust building strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that researchers who wish to conduct successful studies in the AA religious institutions must implement trust rebuilding strategies that include mutual respect, collaboration and partnership building. If general moral practices continue to be violated, threat to future hospice and palliative care research within the institutions may prevail. Thus, potential benefits are thwarted for the church members, AA community, and advancement of EOL care scholarship.
authors: 1 Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Gloria
authors: G
authors: Bonner
authors: 2 Department of Allied Health Sciences, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Sharon
authors: S
authors: Williams
authors: 3 Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Wilkie
authors: 1 Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Alysha
authors: A
authors: Hart
authors: 1 Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Glenda
authors: G
authors: Burnett
authors: 4 Department of Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Geraldine
authors: G
authors: Peacock
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D002835:Christianity; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D018579:Patient Selection; D012107:Research Design; D035502:Trust
keywords: African American; church-based research; collaboration; community; recruitment strategies; trust