Improving recruitment to health research in primary care.
BACKGROUND
Recruitment to health research is known to be problematic. However, evidence concerning ways of improving recruitment is sparse.


OBJECTIVE
To outline the process of recruitment, factors impacting on recruitment success and key areas for further research and development.


METHODS
Narrative literature review.


RESULTS
This paper argues that three ways of improving recruitment should form the focus of future work: developing a repository of evidence-based techniques and methods which can be introduced by research teams; developing the infrastructure to support recruitment, especially new technologies around the electronic patient record; and increasing public engagement with research, to improve participation by both clinicians and patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Recruitment to health research in primary care remains a major hurdle, and key research and development priorities must be addressed.
Bower
Peter
P
National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, University of Manchester, UK. peter.bower@manchester.ac.uk
Wallace
Paul
P
Ward
Elaine
E
Graffy
Jonathan
J
Miller
Julia
J
Delaney
Brendan
B
Kinmonth
Ann Louise
AL
D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D015279:Organizational Culture; D018579:Patient Selection; D011320:Primary Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic