Establishment of the Alabama Hereditary Cancer Cohort - strategies for the inclusion of underrepresented populations in cancer genetics research.

Background: Historically, groups that are most susceptible to health and healthcare disparities have been underrepresented in medical research. It is imperative to explore approaches that can facilitate the recruitment of underrepresented individuals into research studies.

Methods: Two approaches, hospital and community-based recruitment (CBR), were developed and implemented over 36 months to study the genetics of hereditary breast cancer and associated cancers in Alabama, a medically underserved state with double the national percentage of self-identifying African Americans, establishing the Alabama Hereditary Cancer Cohort.