title: Effectiveness of recruitment in clinical trials: an analysis of methods used in a trial for irritable bowel syndrome patients.
abstract: A successful clinical trial is dependent on recruitment. Between December 2003 and February 2006, our team successfully enrolled 289 participants in a large, single-center, randomized placebo-controlled trial (RCT) studying the impact of the patient-doctor relationship and acupuncture on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. This paper reports on the effectiveness of standard recruitment methods such as physician referral, newspaper advertisements, fliers, audio and video media (radio and television commercials) as well as relatively new methods not previously extensively reported on such as internet ads, ads in mass-transit vehicles and movie theater previews. We also report the fraction of cost each method consumed and fraction of recruitment each method generated. Our cost per call from potential participants varied from $3-$103 and cost per enrollment participant varied from $12-$584. Using a novel metric, the efficacy index, we found that physician referrals and flyers were the most effective recruitment method in our trial. Despite some methods being more efficient than others, all methods contributed to the successful recruitment. The iterative use of the efficacy index during a recruitment campaign may be helpful to calibrate and focus on the most effective recruitment methods.
authors.affiliation: Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
authors.forename: Siu Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chin Feman
authors.forename: Long T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Mary T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Quilty
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Bong Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Conboy
authors.forename: Joyce P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.forename: Ted J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kaptchuk
authors.forename: Roger B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D026881:Acupuncture; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D008402:Mass Media; D018579:Patient Selection; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014186:Transportation