Recruiting and Engaging Persons Experiencing Disabilities in Research

Abstract

Engagement in knowledge mobilization (KM) processes can foster strong researcher-collaborator partnerships. While disability specific research exists for research engagement, there are few definitive strategies in place which apply to involving individuals with varying disabilities in KM processes and meetings. Formed around a consensus process aiming to create a disability specific framework for qualified exercise professionals, the first phase of this thesis attempted to contextualize meaningful engagement for persons experiencing disabilities who attend meetings for KM processes. Consenting participants would have participated in virtual interviews prior to and following the observation of the consensus process in early 2025. Participants would have been asked what would be required to be optimally engaged in the consensus process. Findings would have provided strategies to promote optimal engagement in KM process meetings for persons experiencing disabilities, offering the foundation for future work to build on engagement strategies for persons experiencing disabilities in KM processes. Recruitment was unsuccessful, with no eligible participants consenting to participate. We pivoted to conduct a rapid review to explore recruitment strategies around making research study participation more appealing, feasible, and accessible for persons experiencing disabilities. The rapid review protocol for this second phase followed established guidelines and was published in Open Science Framework. Three databases were searched to identify relevant peer-reviewed literature published between 2005 and 2025. Two reviewers independently screened 20% of identified abstracts and applicable full texts before the principal reviewer screened the remaining 80%. Data were extracted and assessed for quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Strategies for improving recruitment of persons experiencing disabilities were mapped onto the levels of the Social Ecological Model (i.e., at the participant, research team, institutional, and societal levels), situated within barrier type (e.g., physical, attitudinal, systemic, and expertise related), and linked to disability group (i.e., intellectual, physical, and sensory). Across 14 included studies, 26 included strategies highlighted the importance of flexibility within the research team, appropriate team training, and continued relationship building with eligible participants to improve recruitment of persons experiencing disabilities as study participants. Project findings can pave the way towards increased inclusion of individuals experiencing disabilities in research.