What communities are considered underserved communities?
“The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) characterizes underserved, vulnerable, and special needs populations as communities that include members of minority populations or individuals who have experienced health disparities.”
A diverse population of men and women are needed to get a comprehensive view of new treatments and experimental drugs.
Though the United States has a very diverse population, and New York City is arguably the most diverse city in the world, getting the word out about clinical trials and recruiting diverse participants is a challenge.
One of the gateways is doctors in underserved communities. It is of course very helpful if these doctors and/or nurses speak the native language of these potential participants. It is more and more common for research institutions themselves to find ways to reach out to these communities, to initiate contacts with local medical professionals and clinics, and to keep them informed. This involves specialists as well as general practitioners.
Still language can be a stumbling block. Most of the information about clinical trials online is in English and this creates a barrier, not to mention the lack of an internet connection or tech savvy experience for many segments of the population.
After a potential participant joins a research study a very detailed but clear—plain language—written presentation of the study and what is involved (an Informed Consent Form) will be presented to the participant in their native language to insure thorough comprehension.
The Informed Consent Form in the participants first language is the law. The barrier remains earlier in the process, getting the information out about a clinical trial that could interest and even be beneficial to them. Healthcare workers need to work on the ground in the communities. Ideally they themselves are from these communities and can establish relations and build trust. A diverse population of healthcare professionals is a part of the solution.
This is ges hand in hand with increasing and regular access to healthcare. We learned during this pandemic that more needs to be done.
