CASE STUDY

Mobilizing Affective Community Engagement: Expanding Representation in COPD Research

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TIMELINE
15 Months
THERAPEUTIC AREA
Pulmonary Health
LOCATION
Nationwide

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Healing Research Gaps Through Genuine Engagement

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) disproportionately impacts Black & African American communities1—yet their representation in clinical trials remains limited. To address this disparity, Acclinate partnered with a leading biotechnology research company from April 2023 to July 2024. This collaboration spanned five metropolitan areas—Atlanta, Birmingham, Detroit, Miami, and Houston—and leveraged Acclinate’s NOWINCLUDED platform and community engagement expertise to increase awareness, education, and participation in COPD research.

Our Approach

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Creating a dedicated lung health circle on the NOWINCLUDED platform with culturally tailored resources.
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Participating in 36 community events to establish trust and gather insights on barriers to engagement.
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Presenting 8,620 NOWINCLUDED members with a trial opportunity through digital and in-person efforts.
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I had asthma really bad in my childhood. So, dealing with the lungs and finding a good breathing apparatus. It’s been a big part of my life.”
– NOWINCLUDED community member

Our Results

Over 15 months, Acclinate reached more than 1.2M community members through NOWINCLUDED’s lung health community circle initiatives.
Access
1.2M+
people reached with lung health & COPD education
Engage
54K+
members engaged through omnichannel approach
830+
surveys collected from community members
140+
personal stories filmed through NOWINCLUDED
Mobilize
8.6K+
members offered opportunity to participate in a COPD study
56
initiated a pre-screener for COPD research
68%
growth in NOWINCLUDED lung health community

Notable Findings

Acclinate polled NOWINCLUDED community members about their outlook on COPD trials & recorded engagement over time.
about 56%
of respondents would be willing to participate in COPD research
25%
cited finding the right healthcare provider as top barrier to care
48%
trusted their primary care physician the most to manage their health
more than 75%
said they had never been presented with an opportunity to participate in clinical research
about 40%
of enrolled Black/African American participants came from this partnership

Learn More About Acclinate’s Mission and Model

This collaboration exemplifies how culturally informed strategies and affective trust can drive inclusive clinical research. By uniting digital tools and community engagement, Acclinate continues to support representation and health equity. Partner with us to enhance diversity in your clinical trials.
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Community Engagement Highlights

The community team has been busy activating and engaging the community. Watch our Community Engagement Highlights on YouTube.
References

1. Davidson, S., Idris, M., Awad, C., King, M. H., Westney, G. E., Ponce, M., Rodriguez, A., Lipsey, K., Flenaugh, E., & Foreman, M. (2024). Race Adjustment of Pulmonary Function tests in the diagnosis and Management of COPD: A scoping review. International Journal of COPD. https://doi.org/10.2147/copd.s430249