Engaging Chinese and Korean American communities in dementia research: A journey of inclusivity and partnership

INTRODUCTION

The New York University Caregiver Intervention plus Enhanced Support Project is a randomized controlled trial of a family-based psychosocial intervention to enhance social support and reduce cardiometabolic risk for Chinese and Korean American dementia caregivers, using culturally tailored recruitment strategies.

METHODS

We reviewed reflections from research staff, weekly meeting minutes, debriefing sessions, and progress reports, to identify key challenges and approaches to engaging participants.

RESULTS

Key challenges included reluctance to involve family members, dementia stigma, and resistance to involving family. In response, we engaged online communities, partnered with local organizations, participated in events, and adapted recruitment messages to cultural norms. For the Chinese community, we focused on practical skills while for the Korean community, we emphasized caregiving strategies and the personal/social benefits of participation, reducing rejection rates.

DISCUSSION

Our findings underscore the importance of culturally tailored recruitment strategies in dementia research. Respectful, sensitive, and culturally informed approaches can significantly enhance engagement and participation.

Highlights

• Culturally adapted recruitment strategies improve study engagement with Chinese and Korean American dementia caregivers.
• Community partnerships with local social services agencies are essential for recruitment success.
• Culturally relevant social media applications were integrated to increase accessibility for study participants.
• This study uniquely targets and recruits Chinese and Korean American dementia caregivers with metabolic syndrome-related symptoms, incorporating a psychological intervention alongside biomarker data collection.
• The iterative adaptation of recruitment methods and tailored messaging to specific ethnic groups ensure the intervention is culturally aligned, enhancing both participation and relevance to the caregivers’ unique health and caregiving contexts.