The Symbolic Value and Limitations of Racial Concordance in Minority Research Engagement

Abstract

The well-documented underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in research demands action. The field of health disparities research, however, lacks scientific consensus about how best to respectfully recruit underrepresented minority populations in research. We explore the investigators’ perspective regarding how their own racial and ethnic background influenced their ability to recruit minorities, including (a) the influence of racial concordance (“race-matching”) in research recruitment, (b) attributes and shared values important in the development of trust with minority communities, and (c) the role self-reflection plays in the development of meaningful research relationships. In 2010, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured, telephone interviews with investigators ( N = 31) experienced with minority populations. Through the analysis of this coherent narrative, we uncovered both the symbolic and surface-level assumptions regarding minority recruitment to expose a deep structural understanding of race, ethnicity, and social context that is critical for bridging the true social difference between researchers and participants.