Recruitment and Engagement Strategies for Equitable Maternal Health and Child Development Research

Abstract

The Illinois Kids Development Study (IKIDS) has long contributed to the greater development of environmental-based maternal health outcomes and awareness. This is accomplished through longitudinal Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohorts which survey mothers and their children from pregnancy through age seven, with research interests in observing related environmental health and cognitive development markers. Although these findings can have impacts on public health policy and future clinical practices, for the first six years of the IKIDS study, the demographics of the state of Illinois were underrepresented in the Champaign cohort for both race diversity and education level. In 2023, the University of Illinois’ School of Social Work began in-person recruitment for IKIDS at local public health centers, like Promise Healthcare and Champaign Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), to allow prospective participants already seeking pregnancy services at these locations the opportunity to ask questions and increase the humanness of the research. After 6 months of in-person recruitment, the initially underrepresented racial groups, now comprise a majority of the participants recruited during that in-person period. This recruitment strategy will continue, along with the maintenance of Perinatal Connect, an initiative that aims to foster connections amongst families, clinicians, researchers, and community members alike.