Minority recruitment and enrollment into integrative research: Yoga as self-care for arthritis

This abstract describes recruitment on an ongoing pilot study providing yoga to minority patients with arthritis. Previous yoga studies have shown a positive effect on quality of life and physical function for arthritis patients. However, this study addresses two important areas of research: the feasibility of offering yoga as an approach to self-care for arthritis; and the acceptability of yoga for minority patients not typically identified as practicing yoga.

The study examines a convenience sample of adults with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis as they undergo an 8-week program of yoga classes. Research participants are recruited from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disease (NIAMS) community health clinic, serving the Washington DC metro area. Recruitment materials are available in English and Spanish due to the large percentage of Latino/Hispanic clinic patients. The study provides racially concordant images for recruitment materials, culturally similar investigators and yoga instructors, and a yoga intervention created specifically for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Recommendation by a rheumatology clinician or physiatrist appears to be the best enrollment facilitator for participants unfamiliar with yoga. Previous experience with other integrative modalities or rehabilitation medicine are often also cited as motivators. Barriers to enrollment include lack of time, lack of interest in yoga, and child care issues.

There are a number of challenges in recruiting and retaining participants from a community clinic serving minority populations. This study looks to explore and document the feasibility and acceptability of offering yoga as an integrative modality to an often under-represented population.