"The hardest part of what we're doing": research staff perspectives on engaging marginalized populations in substance use trials.

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are a critical component of the development of pharmacological treatment options for substance use disorders. Pragmatic trials, in particular, aim to enhance generalizability by testing interventions in real-world settings. However, structural barriers, including socioeconomic marginalization and criminalization, continue to limit research participation among people who use drugs (PWUD). While prior research has explored perspectives of PWUD in research, less is known about how RCT staff navigate obstacles to engaging PWUD who experience structural disadvantage.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 U.S. research staff (i.e., research coordinators; research assistants) working on pragmatic RCTs testing the effectiveness of medications for substance use disorders.

Results: Staff described challenges that complicated study enrollment and retention, including mistrust, negative perceptions of study components, restrictive eligibility criteria, and logistical challenges related to transportation, housing, and communication. Despite the more flexible design of pragmatic RCTs, staff still encountered constraints that conflicted with participant needs and necessitated going beyond their role to facilitate inclusion and retention. Research staff also identified important facilitators of recruitment and retention, including relationship building, leveraging referral systems, and adopting flexible, participant-centered approaches, where possible.

Conclusion: Even in pragmatic trials designed for real-world conditions, social and structural disadvantages and rigid research structures can limit study participation among PWUD. Our findings suggest that with support, research staff play a central role in navigating these challenges and devising potential strategies for engaging marginalized populations in research.