Respondent-Driven Sampling to Recruit Latinos in a Midwest Micropolitan Area: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for Translational Work

Latinos constitute a hard-to-reach minority population in Iowa. We used respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to supplement random digit dialing (RDD) to recruit Latinos for a community physical activity intervention. RDS yielded a 59% increase in Latino participation in just two months, with few demographic differences between RDS and RDD groups. RDS may increase recruitment of underrepresented populations and strengthen community engagement; however, it is not a quick fix for underperforming recruitment methods.