Researchers from Augusta University (AU) recently participated in a community forum aimed at addressing barriers to research participation. The event, titled “Barriers to Research Participation: A conversation with the community,” was held at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History and brought together more than 30 local residents alongside AU faculty.
The forum was part of a lunch-and-learn series organized by the museum in collaboration with Augusta University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). Corey Rogers, executive director of the museum, spoke about its commitment to supporting conversations around health care and education. “While we often think of Lucy Craft Laney as the great educator and the woman who mentored Mary McLeod Bethune, what we fail to bring to the forefront of the conversation is that she was a staunch believer in providing quality health care in her community,” Rogers said. “She gave speeches at Hampton Institute about this, and she helped to facilitate the creation of the Lamar School of Nursing. These types of panels are at the core of what we do here at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum.”
Bianca Marsh, IRB training coordinator, introduced AU’s IRB office and described its role in protecting human research participants. “The Institutional Review Board is the ethics committee that oversees human subjects research at Augusta University or research that requires participants from our community,” Marsh said. “There was a point in time when human subjects research was not regulated, and a lot of things happened. We recognized that, and that is why we have the IRB. Along with monitoring AU’s human subjects research, we go out into the community and do educational forums like this. Part of our job is not to persuade you or to tell you to do research because it’s your decision. It’s your informed decision whether or not you want to participate. Our job is to make sure that you have the resources and the information available to you to make that informed decision and ensure you are protected if you do decide to participate in research.”
The session featured an open dialogue moderated by Darryl Nettles, PhD, from Georgia Cancer Center. Both researchers and community members discussed their experiences with health-related studies.
Panelists included Jessica L. Stewart, PhD; Teal Benevides, PhD; Samantha Jones, PhD; Malcolm S. Bevel, PhD; and Marlo Vernon, PhD—all faculty members from various departments within Augusta University focused on public health issues such as social determinants of health, cancer disparities among minority populations, prevention of chronic diseases including maternal morbidity and mortality in Georgia, mental health for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as practical engagement strategies for underserved communities.
During discussions about participating in studies conducted by AU researchers near their neighborhoods—such as those on breast cancer outcomes among Black women or food insecurity’s impact on cancer risk—attendees were encouraged by panelists’ advice: ask questions before joining any study; review consent forms carefully for IRB approval stamps; take time before making decisions; seek further information if needed.
Tiffany Coleman, director of AU’s IRB asked attendees how many had heard about ongoing university-led research projects nearby: “How many of you hear about the research that is being done up the street at Augusta University?” Only a few hands were raised—a moment highlighting gaps between academic institutions’ work and public awareness.
Community concerns voiced during this exchange included mistrust toward healthcare systems; data privacy worries; insufficient communication regarding results; fear over learning negative diagnoses; lack of understanding about how studies operate.
Despite these challenges—and reflecting interest in seeing positive changes—community members suggested several ways forward: involving locals early when designing new studies; offering compensation or transportation incentives for participation; building relationships before recruitment begins; holding regular town halls or forums.
Researchers indicated they would use these insights for future outreach efforts aimed at fostering trust while ensuring studies reflect genuine needs identified by those most affected.
