Virtual recruitment and participant engagement for substance use research during a pandemic

Abstract

Purpose of reviewThe coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic resulted in cataclysmic changes to the research enterprise, causing a forced shutdown or rapid pivot to virtual methods. Adapting studies to the virtual environment also impacted recruitment and retention strategies. This review elucidated challenges and offered pragmatic recommendations, drawing on published literature and our prior work, to assist researchers in re-evaluating and amending best-practice techniques to bolster inclusive recruitment and study engagement of people using substances, particularly for virtual interviews or focus groups. Recent findingsAmeliorating recruitment strategies and research protocols to better fit virtual methods of recruitment and study administration required careful consideration of ethical and logistical implications. Many procedures to increase enrollment of underrepresented populations, such as building mutually beneficial and respectful community partnerships, recruiting via social media, or providing ambulatory research centers, existed prior to this specific pandemic. However, unprecedented disruptions in resources needed to participate in virtual interviews or focus groups, privacy concerns, and possible deteriorating trust in research necessitated continued adaptation and expansion of these strategies.

Participant recruitment for paediatric research using social media: A practical ‘how‐to’ guide for researchers

“…Elliott et al 20 reported that social media knowledge translation strategies had an extended reach and higher level of engagement when co‐designed by patient or parent stakeholders compared with advertisements created solely by researchers. Engaging or consulting with community members from under‐represented populations or families on the feasibility and acceptability of the virtual recruitment approach may be useful to support the development of tailored content 45 …”

“…Engaging or consulting with community members from under‐represented populations or families on the feasibility and acceptability of the virtual recruitment approach may be useful to support the development of tailored content. 45 …”

“…Engaging or consulting with community members from underrepresented populations or families on the feasibility and acceptability of the virtual recruitment approach may be useful to support the development of tailored content. 45 If co-design workshops are not possible, we suggest researchers reflect upon prior experiences and refer to the literature exploring each target audience's interests and online behaviours. We then suggest developing personas or hypothetical representations of audience members to characterise the target audience's needs.…”

Virtual focus groups among individuals with use disorders: assessing feasibility and acceptability in an underserved clinical population

“…To date, the majority of research on substance use disorders that utilize virtual focus groups enrolls providers or professionals who work with individuals with substance use disorders ( 10 – 12 ). It is unclear whether recruitment and retention for this research method is or is not particularly challenging with persons who are actively using substances, as access to the Internet is not always stable and their comfort with video conferencing and remote survey completion can be variable ( 13 , 14 ).…”

Overcoming Pandemic-Related Challenges in Recruitment and Screening

“…36 This elevated social isolation often resulted in healthcare disengagement, forgoing regular clinic visits. 38 Furthermore, patients may have also chosen not to use virtual or telehealth options for healthcare appointments because of discomfort with technology and accessibility, which disproportionately impacts those of older age as well as racial and ethnic minority subgroups. 39 Despite known recruitment challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for older adults, few articles included experiences with older adult participants.…”