Hollows as Sampling Units for Community-Based Participatory Research in Appalachia: The Mountain Air Project.

摘要: BACKGROUND In rural Appalachia, numerous geographical, historical, and socioeconomic barriers undermine health. We describe a community/academic partnership that leveraged local assets to implement an on-the-ground enumeration approach enrolling participants, ultimately achieving 82.1% response rate in cross-sectional study of adult respiratory disease. sought discuss challenges addressed while establishing accurate sample frame broadly accepted data collection procedure. METHODS Innovative established epidemiologic methods (household enumeration) were combined within community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework. Community members partnered with researchers identify appropriate, novel sampling unit: hollows. Members two community advisory boards (CABs) provided extensive guidance, health workers (CHWs) administered surveys spirometry from randomly selected households. RESULTS Most hollows (28/40) had participation rates more than 80%. The (N = 972) was representative the area. CONCLUSIONS Investigators seeking recruit hard-to-reach populations may consider guided by partners.