title: Evaluating strategies and costs to recruit smokeless tobacco users.
abstract: We recruited smokeless tobacco users throughout Minnesota to participate in a trial testing telephone counseling versus a written self-help manual for cessation. This paper describes the recruitment strategies applied on a state-wide basis. We established a recruitment tracking system to monitor weekly rates of screened callers and returned consents, allowing us to adjust future recruitment efforts. Screening was completed with 783 callers, with 406 subjects enrolled. Overall 44% of initial contacts and 52% of those screened enrolled in the study. The overall average cost per consented subject was $99. Sports talk radio, small print ads, and newspaper articles based on press releases were consistently effective channels for recruitment. The overall cost was expensive but reflected the geographic diversity of recruitment and the prevalence of oral snuff use.
authors.affiliation: HealthPartners Research Foundation, 8170 33rd Avenue South, MS# 21111R; Bloomington, MN 55425, USA.
authors.forename: Raymond G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Enstad
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Asche
authors.forename: Merry J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Thoele
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Sherwood
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media / Q000191:economics; D008910:Minnesota; D018579:Patient Selection; D020340:Tobacco Use Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless