Peer Engagement: On Reflecting Student Diversity in a Research Trial

Abstract

Diversifying racial and ethnic participation in clinical research contributes to the generalizability of findings. Yet minority populations remain underrepresented, presenting challenges for studies targeting diverse undergraduate student populations. The researchers of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) explored a recruitment methodology including peer engagement. This article reports on the methodology and outcomes of a peer-to-peer (“Student Ambassador”) recruitment strategy alongside other approaches (email, digital advertising). To understand (1) how peer engagement can diversify student recruitment efforts, the researchers examined descriptive statistics and responses from the baseline and follow-up surveys of the RCT. To understand (2) how Student Ambassadors experienced engagement, the researchers convened a focus group. While a causal relationship is not asserted, we found that study participation approximately represented the student population in terms of ethnic and racial background. Among recruitment approaches, some appeared better aligned with individual ethnic and racial groups. Nine percent of participants reported hearing about the study from peer-to-peer activities (Ambassador engagement, social media, or word-of-mouth), making such approaches a valuable reinforcement of other methods. The diverse team of Student Ambassadors reported job satisfaction, citing interactivity and relatability as success factors. We conclude that diversifying recruitment methods in alignment with target populations may enhance research results. In addition, peer-to-peer methods can expose underrepresented groups to the research process.