Background

Ethnic Minority Research Inclusion Project: the story so far

In 2020-21 the Clinical Research Network Yorkshire and Humber (CRN Y&H) Ethnic Minority COVID-19 project was established in response to the growing awareness of the disproportionate effect of the virus on members of Ethnic Minority communities and the need to encourage the involvement of participants from these communities in clinical research.

Project aims

• CRN Y&H and its Partners intend to increase the probability for every approach for consent in disproportionately affected Ethnic Minority communities resulting in informed consent so that recruitment to COVID-19 priority studies can be increased to improve health outcomes for these communities.

• Set within the broader context of enhancing Ethnic Minority participation in the wider clinical research arena.

Project achievements

• Hosted a series of well attended and received webinars addressing Informed Consent, Misinformation, Community Engagement and Local Research Delivery for Ethnic Minority Communities

• Undertaken a detailed survey regarding issues relating to Ethnic Minority community members' participation in clinical research in Yorkshire and Humber. The survey analysis and recommendations are available here.

• Influenced the Early Contact and Engagement process for the CRN Y&H Study Support Service to ensure Ethnic Minority participation in Portfolio research conducted in the region

• Supported Partner Organisation staff leads to use prospectively collected ethnicity data to start monitoring Ethnic Minority participation in selected Portfolio studies conducted in the region

• Stimulated existing interest and collaboration in addressing this participation issue in Partner Organisations across the region

• Created and produced video materials to encourage research participation in Ethnic Minority communities 

•  Established three Ethnic Minority Research Inclusion Hubs (West, East and South Yorkshire):