Dr. Tamara Leech’s Research Featured by the ACE Evaluation Network

Dr. Tamara Leech, Associate Professor in the Public Health Department, was recently featured in the Advancing Culturally-responsive and Equitable (ACE) Evaluation Network’s newsletter, “Expanding the Bench.”

ACE Evaluation Network noted, “ACE Evaluation Network Member, Dr.Tamara G. Leech, and her colleagues conducted a study about three common recruitment and retention obstacles facing scholars interested in racial disparities research: 1) potential mistrust from the black community; 2) a stigmatized research topic; and 3) high participation burden. In this article, they describe and explore the recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies employed during a study.

Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-method design, they analyze data from their web-based administrative system, participant enrollment and exit surveys, and team members’ field notes. This study received a high participation, completion, and retention rate. They conclude that internal incentives, the combination of informal and formal community recruiters, the visibility of the principal investigator, and face-to-face meetings may have contributed to the success of the project.”

• View the article, “Recruiting and Retaining Young Urban Black Men in a Study of Violence: Procedures Used and Lessons Learned,” published in Field Methods