RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH BURMESE REFUGEES

Purposes/Aims: Recruitment in resettled refugee populations is a dynamic process. Challenges arise and flexibility is required to access refugee populations for research. Innovative, culturally relevant techniques aid in accessing refugee communities. Ethnic subgroups have diversified experiences and learning the historical and cultural background for a subgroup is crucial to successful recruitment. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effectiveness of recruitment strategies for an ethnographic study with the Burmese Chin Hakha community in a southwest urban community. 

Rationale/Conceptual Basis/Background: The concept of culture is an ethnographic centerpiece of intricate ties connected to the way we act towards each other, relate to situations around us, and describe our self. To describe a culture requires listening and learning from the participants as experts. Recruitment with a culture unfamiliar to the researcher requires building trust, community immersion, and maintaining reflexivity with every action.    

Methods: Participant observation has been conducted to become familiar with the routine of every day life in the Burmese Chin community. Gatekeepers and cultural navigators provided introductions of the researcher to the Burmese Chin community. Pastors were pivotal gatekeepers in the resettled Burmese Chin population. This is due a history of people having fled Burma to avoid severe persecution because of their choice of religion. Participants were obtained from educational sessions on tuberculosis held at the church with an interpreter. Participants were also recruited from community events organized by local churches and health care workers. A cultural navigator employed in a Refugee Women’s Health Clinic assisted with recruitment. This provided access to potential participants in a culturally competent manner while also increasing their health care access and equitable care. 

Results: Recruitment is currently in process, three participants have been recruited. One participant was enrolled in the study through the cultural navigator at the Women’s Refugee Health Clinic, and two participants enrolled through contact with the church. Successful recruitment is attributed to becoming familiar with community leaders and members. Attending community outreach events, children’s activities, English language classes, and trainings offered with the cultural navigators has reinforced trust and is building relationships in the community. Carefully explaining the study and allowing time for questions has alleviated participant fear. Face-to-face reminders for interview appointments have contributed to retention.

Implications: Successful recruitment strategies build capacity in the community. Community leaders are strengthened and power is gained in accessing health care and receiving equitable care. Educational sessions inform the community and allow time for clarification of the information. This face-to-face time with the researcher builds credibility and rapport for accelerated recruitment time. Knowledge of Burmese refugees’ culture will inform culturally competent recruitment styles and facilitate future research.