Connecting Black and Hispanic adults with cancer to clinical trials using a culturally tailored online portal

Precision Clinical Trial Recruitment to Promote Cancer Health Equity Across Florida

Observational University of Florida · NCT05655494

This project tests whether a tailored online portal with virtual community health educators can help Black and Hispanic adults with cancer find and get referred to cancer clinical trials.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment350 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 100 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of Florida Academic / other
Locations3 sites (Gainesville, Florida and 2 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05655494 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Racial and ethnic minority adults are underrepresented in cancer clinical trials, often due to low trust and multilevel access barriers. This pilot uses the ALEX Research Portal to consolidate referral channels and offer two approaches: a stand-alone portal and the portal augmented with virtual community health educator (vCHE) avatars and follow-up video visits. Clinicians, community health educators, patients, and family members can use the portal to find culturally tailored information and create referrals to NCI-supported trials, while investigators track referral and engagement outcomes. The project will be implemented at three Florida sites and focuses on English- or Spanish-speaking Black and Hispanic adults with cancer.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are Black or Hispanic adults (18–100) with cancer who live in Florida, can read English or Spanish at about an eighth-grade level, have an email or text capability, and agree to be re-contacted.

Not a fit: People who live outside Florida, cannot read English or Spanish at the required level, lack email/text access, are under 18, or decline re-contact are unlikely to benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the portal could increase culturally relevant information and referrals to cancer clinical trials for Black and Hispanic patients, improving access and representation.

How similar studies have performed: Prior work shows community health educator and digital navigation approaches can improve trust and trial enrollment among underserved populations, but combining a tailored portal with vCHE avatars is a relatively new, less-tested approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* An adult 18 to 100 years of age,
* Able to read English or Spanish at least an eighth-grade level,
* From a racial/ethnic background historically underrepresented in cancer clinical trials (e.g. Blacks or African Americans and/or Hispanics or Latinos),
* Have an email account or the ability to receive texts,
* Willingness to be re-contacted,
* Be a resident of the state of Florida.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unable to read English or Spanish at least at eighth-grade level
* Does not have an email account or the ability to receive texts
* Unwilling to be re-contacted
* Non resident of the state of Florida.

Where this trial is running

Gainesville, Florida and 2 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Cancercancer clinical trialcommunity health educatorcolorectal cancerbreast cancerlung cancerprostate cancerskin cancer
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.