Barriers to recruiting urban African American women into research studies in community settings.

This qualitative study identified barriers to African American women's participation in a community-based behavioral intervention trial to increase mammography screening. Four themes emerged from focus group discussions with community agency providers and research team members. These themes were (1) going to the gatekeepers; (2) knowing the culture; (3) location is everything; and (4) protocols, policies, and possibilities. A checklist of actions that nurse researchers could consider to increase African American women's participation in community trials is provided.