“Be One Of 200” Outcomes Of The Recruitment Campaign To Enhance African American Participation In Wrap

Author Block: Nia Norris¹, Celena Ramsey¹, Rainy Von Gunten¹, Heidi Bucci¹, Julie Leach¹, Nicole Pocian², Stephanie Houston¹, Gail Morgan¹, Claire Bitner³, Naveena Jaspal³, Ian Canovi¹, Tamara LeCaire, MS, PhD³, Jennifer Landeta Vidal³, Rachel Weinberg³, Sterling Johnson³, Gina Green-Harris¹.

¹UW School of Medicine and Public Health - Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute Regional Milwaukee Office, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA, ²UW School of Medicine and Public Health - REACH Program, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA, ³UW School of Medicine and Public Health - Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.

Abstract:
Background: The Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (WRAP) aims to enroll 200 additional African American participants between 2023-2028. To support this goal, the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute Regional Milwaukee Office launched the “Be One of 200” campaign in July 2024. Designed to elevate visibility, representation, and engagement in Alzheimer’s research, the campaign sought to increase awareness and interest in research participation to address long-standing gaps of engaging diverse communities in health-related research studies. This abstract describes the campaign’s reach, implementation, and impact on African American enrollment in WRAP.

Methods: This multifaceted campaign was developed with involvement of community advisory board members, and featured radio and television commercials, branded apparel (“Be One of 200” for staff; “I Am One of 200” for participants), and a dedicated recruitment webpage. Additionally, staff conducted 3 live radio and TV interviews emphasizing the importance of African American participation in Alzheimer’s research. Across all media channels, messages emphasized Alzheimer’s disease as a public health crisis, the higher risk for African Americans developing Alzheimer’s disease, and their continued underrepresentation in research. Data on campaign reach and enrollment were collected from media outlets and WRAP’s participant recruitment tracking system. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize campaign activities and associated enrollment outcomes.

Results: Across Milwaukee and Racine, WI counties (USA), 381 television commercials aired between July and September, resulting in 23 enrollments. Visibility of campaign t-shirts at a large community event in April 2025 resulted in 6 enrollments. Word-of-mouth referrals from newly enrolled participants further supported recruitment momentum, resulting in 40 enrollments. Overall, campaign activities resulted in 98 enrollments in Milwaukee between July 2024 and December 2025. Approximately 26% of WRAP active participants are from diverse backgrounds. These outcomes highlight the campaign’s effectiveness as a recruitment strategy grounded in representation, relationship-building, and visibility-driven strategies.

Conclusion: The “Be One of 200” campaign strengthened community awareness, engagement, and participation in WRAP through culturally responsive messaging, apparel, and media partnerships. Its early success demonstrates the value of multifaceted, community-centered recruitment approaches in increasing African American participation in Alzheimer’s research and offers a scalable model for similar efforts nationally.