Challenges and opportunities: recruitment and retention of African Americans for Alzheimer disease research: lessons learned

For more than 3 decades, the recruitment and retention of African Americans for research in Alzheimer disease have been regarded as difficult undertakings with poor results. The typical explanation for failure to respond to research participation options is a widespread mistrust of research and the biomedical community. Mistrust is a reasonable response; given the historic reality of malfeasance, victimization, and mistreatment over the course of the research participation history of African Americans. The challenges are real but there are opportunities for successful recruitment and retention of African Americans for research including research on Alzheimer disease. Participation, however, comes with specific terms and considerations. Two of the most prominent criteria for research recruitment and retention are the transparency and accountability of the investigator, which may determine how he or she proceeds from the start of the process throughout the steps of recruitment, retention, and subsequent follow-up with the community.