Project Sugar: a recruitment model for successful African-American participation in health research.

Attempts to increase the number of African-Americans participating in clinical trials, regardless of age, have been hampered by a lack of published data regarding successful recruitment and retention strategies. Successful strategies can be used as a guide for future researchers in the design of studies to recruit African-Americans, regardless of age, into clinical as well as qualitative studies to promote health among this vulnerable population. The goal of the primary study was to recruit 400 families with 2 or more family members affected with diabetes, totaling 800 participants. Project Sugar utilized the coordinated research principals known as CPR (Community, Plan, Reward) to recruit 615 African-American families totalling 1,230 people known as the Sea Island people (Gullahs) in the first five years of the study. The intention of the study was to identify markers for diabetes among these Sea Island natives who tended to be genetically homogenous. In so doing, specific strategies were identified as serendipitous findings for this study. Nonetheless, these serendipitous findings were thought to be so integral to success in the recruitment of African-Americans, mainly because of their success among this fairly close-knit, historically isolated, and significantly genetically homogenous Sea Islanders (Gullah). In recognizing the success of this model, an alternate aim was examined to devise rigorous scientific strategies to promote methods for recruitment of African-Americans into clinical trials aimed at reducing health disparities among this vulnerable population. This projects success can be attributed to the involvement of a local citizen advisory committee and rewards in the form of services, benefits, and incentives to the community. Findings from this alternative aim, which was scientifically built on the CPR model, suggest that when services are provided to the community, coupled with the use of local community advisory committees, the possibilities of recruiting participants into a clinical trial are significantly enhanced and augmented.