South Asian American women increasingly are diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages and with more advanced disease compared with other groups, a fact made even more alarming because they are underrepresented in studies, said Jaya Satagopan, an associate dean for faculty affairs and professor at the School of Public Health and member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. A study she led tackles a crucial factor in addressing the issue: the recruitment of South Asian women in research.
The study, published in PLOS ONE, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that broadcast media, such as radio, is an effective recruitment tool. “Collaborating with a community-based radio station to disseminate study information allowed listeners to hear directly from the researchers, thus helped strengthen community partnerships and credibility at a time when traditional in-person community interactions were suspended due to the pandemic,” said Satagopan. To read the full story.