CNSTAT Expert Meeting on Alternative Approaches for Capturing American Diversity: Recruitment, Retention, and Representation

Over the past several decades, declining rates of survey response and retention have posed significant challenges to cross-sectional and longitudinal studies globally. Central to this issue is the ability to effectively engage with diverse populations. While these challenges are deeply rooted in the fields of social and behavioral science research, they are not exclusive to these areas. Indeed, a key to survival across various sectors lies in successful engagement and fostering loyalty.

To address these concerns, the research community needs to explore a broad spectrum of perspectives and innovative solutions, drawing insights from fields such as marketing, communications, and behavioral economics. These sectors, although driven by different motivations and contexts, share common requirements and thus employ strategies that could provide valuable insights to traditional research contexts.

For instance, pharmaceutical marketers and medical device manufacturers utilize segmentation and psychographics, tailoring their communications to reflect the desires, necessities, and interests of specific demographics, like the elderly or those living with disabilities. Their aim is to incentivize individuals to purchase or use their services or products. Likewise, organizations such as AARP, dedicated to serving Americans aged 50 and above, rely heavily on research and data collection to understand the unique needs of their constituents.

Behavioral economics, on the other hand, uses experimental techniques to gauge the impact of incentives and other mechanisms in motivating individuals’ actions, such as enrolling in a program. Additionally, respondent-centered design offers a fresh perspective on understanding and facilitating survey participation.

This expert meeting, hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Committee on National Statistics (NASEM CNSTAT), delved into the key takeaways from these alternative approaches, focusing on understanding the accessibility, wants, needs, and interests of various specialized (and sometimes under-represented) populations. Despite the differing goals and contexts, the experts explored how these approaches can be adapted to bolster participation and minimize attrition in studies sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). They also examined the contributions of behavioral economists in developing compelling strategies to motivate actions, such as enrolling in a study or program. The expert meeting aimed to unmask the potential of these alternative approaches and the application of their lessons to longitudinal surveys on aging, in order to enhance the representation and retention of American diversity.

A workshop summary is forthcoming.