Abstract
Objectives. To detail the recruitment methods, response rates, and sample distribution for the all-African-American cohort of the Jackson Heart Study QHS). Methods. Recruitment methods focused on building trust through family and community relationships. A complex sampling strategy including Jackson-Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study participants, random selection of households, volunteers, and an embedded family sample was implemented. The recruitment protocol included sample contact via letter, personal visit, and telephone to complete a household enumeration and household induction interview (HII), followed by a separate clinic examination (CE). Multiple strategies for enhancing recruitment success were put into practice. Results. 13,551 individual contacts were made. Men and women (n=5307) of widely varying ages, education levels, and socioeconomic statuses who reside in the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan statistical area were recruited to complete all phases of enumeration, HI!, and CE (39% response rate). The response rate for completed HII/contact was 46%, and the yield of completed HII to CE was 86%. The sample will be described. Conclusions. Recruitment was the challenge anticipated. In addition to the culture-specific trust issues, impediments included the general suspicion of strangers heightened by increased telemarketing and fraudulent solicitation and sensitized by fears of terrorism or crime. People's busy lives coupled with the complex sampling design for the JHS also impacted recruitment. The majority of persons completing a HII completed the CE. By addressing their trust and other issues, a large cohort of African Americans was assembled who provide a rich resource for the study of heart disease in African Americans.
Contact
Sharon B. Wyatt, PhD, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216- 4505
