Recruitment and retention of minority participants in the DASH controlled feeding trial. DASH Collaborative Research Group. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study was a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute multicenter trial that compared the impact of three dietary patterns on blood pressure (BP) among adults with high normal blood pressure or mild (Stage I) hypertension. DASH's high minority representation (two-thirds of the 459 randomized participants came from minority populations, and 60% of the cohort were African American) offered a valuable opportunity to assess factors affecting minority enrollment and retention in clinical trials of lifestyle modification. Recruitment strategies included targeted mailings to specific groups, mass mailings, community and worksite screenings, and mass media advertising; the four DASH clinical centers also reimbursed participants from $150 to $160.