European Journal of Public Health
Volume 24, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 721-726

Comparing sampling strategies to recruit migrants for an epidemiological study. Results from a German feasibility study (Article) (Open Access)

Reiss K.* , Dragano N. , Ellert U. , Fricke J. , Greiser K.H. , Keil T. , Krist L. , Moebus S. , Pundt N. , Schlaud M. , Yesil-Jürgens R. , Zeeb H. , Zimmermann H. , Razum O. , Jöckel K.-H. , Becher H.
  • a Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, Bielefeld School of Public Health (BiSPH), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, 33501, Germany
  • b Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Essen, 45122, Germany, Institute for Medical Sociology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, 40225, Germany
  • c Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, 12101, Germany
  • d German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
  • e German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
  • f Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
  • g Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
  • h Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Essen, 45122, Germany
  • i Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Essen, 45122, Germany
  • j Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, 12101, Germany
  • k Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, 12101, Germany, Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
  • l Department of Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS GmbH, Bremen, 28359, Germany
  • m Institute of Public Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany
  • n Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, Bielefeld School of Public Health (BiSPH), Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, 33501, Germany
  • o Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Essen, 45122, Germany
  • p Institute of Public Health, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany

Abstract

Background: In 2011, almost 20.0% of the population of Germany had a migration background. Studies on their health tend to have low participation rates. The aim of our study was to compare different sampling strategies and to test different approaches to recruit migrants for an epidemiological study. Methods: Four recruitment centres of the German National Cohort recruited persons of Turkish origin and ethnic German immigrants from former Soviet Union countries. A register-based (random samples from residents registration offices) and a community-orientated strategy were applied. Participants underwent a medical examination and selfcompleted a questionnaire. Results: Used approaches: The community-orientated strategies comprised the acquisition of key persons from migrant networks to support the recruitment, invitation talks and distribution of study materials in migrant settings, etc. The identifying variables in the registry data were name, nationality or country of birth. All but one centres used bilingual study material and study staff. Participation: When comparing the two strategies, the register-based participation rates ranged from 10.1 to 21.0% (n = 668 participants) and the community-oriented recruitment resulted in 722 participants. Conclusion: Register-based recruitment should use a combination of name, nationality and country of birth in order not to be limited to identifying persons with a foreign nationality. However, according to the study staff, the community-oriented approach involving key persons of the same cultural background leads to a better acceptance by the participants. Also, it covers a more heterogeneous group. Yet, it is time-consuming and needs considerably more staff. Further research should establish the effectiveness of a combination of both strategies. © The Author 2014.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Germany Registries demography register Sampling Studies human epidemiology middle aged Ethnic Groups statistics and numerical data ethnic group comparative study Aged USSR Epidemiologic Studies Feasibility Studies ethnology Residence Characteristics Young Adult Humans migrant male Emigrants and Immigrants female questionnaire feasibility study Questionnaires adult Turkey patient selection
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84930802354&doi=10.1093%2feurpub%2fcku046&partnerID=40&md5=531e86f8868420381de5009f1886d50c
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku046
ISSN: 11011262
Cited by: 28
Original Language: English