Recruiting racialised youth to a stem cell registry in Canada
Abstract
Objectives
The aim of this paper is to report results of racialised young adults' awareness of the stem cell registry. Further, we examine recruitment materials and outreach strategies to increase stem cell awareness and registration among young, racialised Canadians.
Background
Patients who are not White face disparities in securing unrelated donors because of the disproportionate representation of White registrants on stem cell registries, differences in genetic diversity across ethnicities, and attrition rates for donor registries.
Methods/Materials
This qualitative study is informed by community-based participatory research. Focus groups were conducted with young adults ages 17–35 who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC)/racialised, are comfortable speaking in English, and live in Canada.
Results
Five 2-h focus groups were conducted with 17 participants in total. Participants spoke to the interconnected themes of knowledge, trust, and engagement with their community. They were motivated by the idea of contributing to a more diverse registry. These perspectives informed their insight into what materials and events would resonate with their peers and their communities.
Conclusion
Our findings point to some concrete suggestions for materials that can resonate with young racialised Canadians. Further, stem cell registries should work collaboratively with young adults and young adult organisations to co-develop educational and recruitment materials and build relationships over time, developing their knowledge of stem cells and raising their confidence to host stem cell events within their communities.
