Comparing Merocel versus Surgicel as nasal packing for post-inferior turbinoplasty surgery.

The Hispanic or Latino community currently accounts for 19.1% of the United States population, and by the year 2050, is expected to reach 30%. Despite its position as the country’s largest ethnic minority group, the Hispanic or Latino population accounts for less than 8% of clinical trial samples. Participation of minoritized populations in research is often hindered by cultural differences between researchers and participants, stigma associated with participating in research, time and resource constraints, or simply a lack of awareness of clinical trials. Another obstacle is mistrust of the investigators, staff, or the research process itself, which is rooted in historical healthcare- and research-related atrocities committed against communities of color. For the Hispanic or Latino population specifically, additional barriers to recruitment include concerns about the impact of participating in research on one’s immigration/documentation status, fear of deportation, lack of confidentiality, and barriers to receipt of research-related compensation, such as the requirement to provide a social security number or home address for said compensation. For the 38% of U.S.-based Hispanic or Latino individuals who speak Spanish as their primary or exclusive language, the unavailability of translated research study materials, interpreters, or bilingual staff remains a major barrier to recruitment and enrollment. These obstacles lead to lower enrollment of Spanish-speaking patients and families in clinical trials, resulting in scientific knowledge and interventions that are not generalizable and perpetuate health inequities that this unique and important group may experience. For instance, Rivera et al. found in a randomized controlled trial that their problem-solving intervention for caregivers reduced self-reported depression and improved health complaints and problem-solving skills. However, 94% of their participants were, as they reported, non-Hispanic or Latino white patients and caregivers randomized to the treatment arm. In the control group, Hispanic or Latino patients and caregivers composed a mere 3% of the study sample. Unfortunately, there was also a lack of transparency in the eligibility criteria used by Rivera et al., further impacting the generalizability of these findings to the Hispanic or Latino community. Similarly, Powell et al. reported their individualized problem-solving intervention enhanced caregivers’ active coping and reduced emotional venting. Yet, English proficiency without the need of an interpreter was a requirement for enrollment, which ultimately led to the exclusion of Spanish-speakers. Obstacles to enrollment can exacerbate the health inequities already present for Hispanic and Latino patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) when compared to their non-Hispanic or Latino white counterparts, including higher rates of hospitalization, more severe injuries, worse physical, mental, and social outcomes, and less access to resources for Hispanic or Latino patients. Additionally, Hispanic or Latino Spanish-speaking patients have low enrollment rates in TBI research and are often left to navigate TBI care after discharge without support from health systems; thus, interventions including the perspective of this population are warranted.