Abstract Body: Background: Black men in the United States face a disproportionately high burden of hypertension and encounter persistent barriers to preventive care and long-term engagement. Community-based approaches using trusted spaces, such as barbershops, and lay health professionals, such as Community Health Workers (CHWs), may improve participation and retention in hypertension prevention programs.
Objective: To describe strategies that contributed to high participant retention in a community-engaged hypertension prevention trial among Black men.
Methods: The Community-to-Clinic Linkage Implementation Program (CLIP) is a cluster-randomized, barbershop-based trial focused on hypertension prevention among Black men on Staten Island, New York. Eligible participants were aged 18–85 years with baseline blood pressure (BP) <130/80 mmHg. Recruitment occurred across 22 Black-owned barbershops. CHWs employed by a local service organization managed follow-up contacts, reinforced study participation, and facilitated linkage to care. Retention outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, and 18 months.
Results: A total of 430 participants were enrolled and eligible for follow-up. Retention rates were excellent, reaching 69.7% at 6 months, 90.4% at 12 months, and 97.2% at 18 months. CHWs fostered strong, sustained relationships with participants through culturally grounded engagement, consistent communication, and tailored support. Collaboration with barbershops and community partners enhanced trust and program visibility, further contributing to sustained participation.
Conclusions: Community Health Workers embedded within trusted community settings were central to achieving high long-term retention in this barbershop-based hypertension prevention trial. These findings underscore the value of community-engaged, relationship-driven models to support health equity interventions for Black men.