Recruitment strategies for an acupuncture randomized clinical trial of reproductive age women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the most effective recruitment strategies for an acupuncture clinical trial of reproductive age women.


METHODS
The underlying study is an acupuncture randomized clinical trial for an ovulatory disorder that affects approximately 6.5% of reproductive age women (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). Study participation involved 2 months of intervention and 3 months of follow-up with US$170 compensation. Success of each recruitment method used during the first 37 study months was analyzed.


METHODS
Clinical trial in the Dept. of OB/GYN at the University of Virginia, US. The original geographic residency target was an 80 mile radius around a college town in Virginia (population 155,000), and was expanded to the state capital (population 850,000) in recruitment Year 2.


METHODS
Number of study inquiries (phone calls or emails) over time and by recruitment source.


RESULTS
In the first 37 months of recruitment (January 2006-January 2009), there were 800 study inquiries (582 by phone, 218 by email), of which 749 were screened via telephone questionnaire. The most successful recruitment methods were flyers (28% of inquiries and 26% of participants) and direct mailing to targeted zip codes (26% and 27%, respectively). The direct mailing cost US$110/inquiry, while the flyers cost less than US$300 in total. Study inquiries were least likely in May and November. Almost all prospective participants (94%) were acupuncture-naive.


CONCLUSIONS
Posters/flyers and direct mailings proved to be the most successful recruitment methods for this CAM study. Active recruitment with multiple methods was needed for continual enrollment.
Pastore
Lisa M
LM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0712, USA. lpastore@virginia.edu
Dalal
Parchayi
P
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D018579:Patient Selection; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult