Recruiting older adults for clinical trials.
More than 400 community-dwelling older adults were recruited into a clinical trial which compared the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment through geriatric assessment with that provided through usual community physician care. Six recruitment methods were utilized: referrals, solicitations, presentations, media, mailings, and fliers. Each method is described and its results reported in terms of numbers recruited, yield, and cost per participant. The most efficient method was referrals; the method producing the largest number was presentations; the least effective method was fliers. Problems and solutions are discussed, and guidelines for recruiting older adults are suggested. These guidelines include: monitoring with accompanying adaptation, targeting the groups most likely to benefit, providing incentives, and reducing uncertainty among potential participants.
Adams
J
J
Family Health Council, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222, USA.
Silverman
M
M
Musa
D
D
Peele
P
P
D000329:Advertising; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D009042:Motivation; D018579:Patient Selection; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011897:Random Allocation; D012017:Referral and Consultation