title: Convenience samples and caregiving research: how generalizable are the findings?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We contrast characteristics of respondents recruited using convenience strategies with those of respondents recruited by random digit dial (RDD) methods. We compare sample variances, means, and interrelationships among variables generated from the convenience and RDD samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women aged 50 to 64 who work full time and provide care to a community-dwelling older person were recruited using either RDD (N = 55) or convenience methods (N = 87). Telephone interviews were conducted using reliable, valid measures of demographics, characteristics of the care recipient, help provided to the care recipient, evaluations of caregiver-care recipient relationship, and outcomes common to caregiving research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Convenience and RDD samples had similar variances on 68.4% of the examined variables. We found significant mean differences for 63% of the variables examined. Bivariate correlations suggest that one would reach different conclusions using the convenience and RDD sample data sets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Researchers should use convenience samples cautiously, as they may have limited generalizability.
authors.affiliation: New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Stratford, NJ 08084, USA. pruchnra@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pruchno
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Brill
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shands
authors.forename: Judith R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Maureen Wilson
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Genderson
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cartwright
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014481:United States