Engagement, Inclusion, Recruitment, and Retention in Research Studies: Recruitment Literature QuickSearch

If you have trouble using any of these searches, please visit the How to Use This Guide Page or contact an HSL librarian for assistance.

You may use our common searches in the area of population, disease, or recruitment topic. Each of these searches can be further customized to fit your needs.

Population                        Disease Area                        Topic

If you don’t see what you need, you can create your own search string based off our searches. For an easy-to-edit document containing the breakdown of this search string, please contact Emily Olsson. If you need additional help locating keywords for your search, please contact an HSL librarian.

Adolescents

This search returns results for recruiting adolescents for clinical studies. It does not use a specific age limit.

African Americans

This search returns results for recruiting African Americans for clinical studies. It can easily be edited to focus on specific ethnicities and cultural origins. 

Asian Americans

This search returns results for recruiting Asian Americans for clinical studies. It can easily be edited to focus on specific ethnicities and cultural origins. 

Disabled Persons

This search returns results for recruiting persons with disabilities or impairments for clinical studies. 

Latinas / Latinos / Latinx

This search returns results for recruiting persons identifying as Latina, Latino, Latinx, and Hispanic. It can easily be edited to focus on specific ethnicities and cultural origins.

LGBTQ

This search returns results for recruiting persons identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other groups on the sexuality/gender spectrums. 

Native Americans

This search returns results for recruiting persons of Native American or Alaskan Native heritage for clinical studies. 

Older Adults

This search returns results for recruiting older adults (seniors) for clinical studies. It does not use a specific age limit. There is a substantial focus on studies for dementia and Alzheimer's. 

Pregnant Women

This search returns results for recruiting pregnant women for clinical studies. It can easily be edited to focus on specific trimesters.

Rural Populations

This search returns results for recruiting persons living in rural areas and farm workers for clinical studies.

Cancer

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on cancer (all types).

Cardiovascular

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on cardiovascular diseases and conditions. 

Depression

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on depression. It can easily be edited to search for other mental illnesses.

Diabetes 

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on diabetes and pre-diabetes.

HIV

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It can easily be edited to include acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 

Obesity

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on obesity and bariatric medicine.

Smoking

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on smoking, vaping, and nicotine consumption. 

Substance Abuse

This search returns results for recruiting persons for clinical studies focused on substance abuse (all types of drug abuse and alcoholism). It can easily be edited to focus on specific types of drug abuse (e.g., opioid abuse). 

Community-Based Research

This search returns results focusing on how to use community-based approaches to develop clinical studies and recruit subjects.

Community Engagement in Research

This search returns results focusing on how to recruit and engage community members in clinical studies.

Informed Consent

This search returns results focusing on how informed consent and other ethical topics play a role in developing clinical studies and recruiting  and retaining subjects. 

Promoting & Marketing

This search returns results focusing on how to promote clinical studies and recruit subjects.

Systematic Reviews

This search returns results for systematic reviews that focus on recruiting and engaging subjects in clinical studies.

How to Save Your Search (in My NCBI)

1. Enter your search terms into the PubMed search box.
2. On the search results page under the search box, you will see 3 options: Create RSS, Create Alert, and Advanced
3. Select “Create Alert”
4. If you already have a My NCBI account, you will be taken to the save search page
5. If you do NOT have a My NCBI, you can create one on this page
   1. On the left, at the bottom of the page, select “Register for an NCBI accout”
   2. You can use a personal email or your UNC-CH email
   3. Complete the form and select “Create account”
   4. You will receive a confirmation email and be automatically redirected back to “Create Alert” from the email
6. On the save search page where you can customize your Alert
   1. Name the search
   2. Choose frequency of updates
   3. Choose number of items you want sent
   4. Select “Save” when you have finished making your choices
7. To modify a saved search.
   1. Select "My NCBI" from NCBI or PubMed
   2. Select the cog wheel next to the search name
   3. Make changes and “Save”