Best Practices in Recruitment and Outreach to Women and Diverse Veterans for Coronavirus Research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Abstract

In September 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a novel volunteer research registry to rapidly recruit eligible study participants for research on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 vaccines and treatments at VA Medical Centers selected as study sites for COVID-19 clinical trials. Targeted multimedia outreach campaigns were used to recruit diverse populations, including those historically under-represented in medical research. By November 2022, 58,561 volunteers were enrolled in the registry, 19% of whom were women, 9% Hispanic/Latino, and 8% Black. The registry's strategic approach to outreach proved successful in recruiting diverse volunteers, with geotargeted e-mails recruiting the most diversity.