Addressing the gap for racially diverse research involvement: the King’s Model for Minority Ethnic Research Participant Recruitment

Abstract

Abstract Background Ethnic minorities (EM) are still underrepresented in research recruitment. Despite wide literature outlining the barriers, enablers and recommendations for driving inclusion and diversity in research, there is still little evidence for successful diversity in research participation, which has a direct impact on the quality of care provided to ethnically diverse individuals. Methods In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the key public health need to address the disparity in care provided to non-white populations, we applied the recommendations made by Ocloo and Matthews (2016) on diverse engagement in PPI groups to promote inclusive research recruitment. Results Our results demonstrate a significantly higher recruitment of EM populations to studies, when compared to recruitment in years 2017–2020. Conclusions Enriched by additional recommendations based on our experiences during the Covid-19 research recruitment drive, we propose the King’s Model is used to support ethnically diverse research recruitment. Further evidence is needed to replicate our findings, although this preliminary evidence provides granular details necessary to address the key unmet need of validating clinical research outcomes in non-white populations.