title: Recruitment methods and costs for a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of chiropractic care for lumbar spinal stenosis: a single-site pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to describe the methods for recruitment in a clinical trial on chiropractic care for lumbar spinal stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study investigated the efficacy of different amounts of total treatment dosage over 6 weeks in 60 volunteer subjects with lumbar spinal stenosis. Subjects were recruited for this study through several media venues, focusing on successful and cost-effective strategies. Included in our efforts were radio advertising, newspaper advertising, direct mail, and various other low-cost initiatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1211 telephone screens, 60 responders (5.0%) were randomized into the study. The most successful recruitment method was radio advertising, generating more than 64% of the calls (776 subjects). Newspaper and magazine advertising generated approximately 9% of all calls (108 subjects), and direct mail generated less than 7% (79 subjects). The total direct cost for recruitment was $40 740 or $679 per randomized patient. The costs per randomization were highest for direct mail ($995 per randomization) and lowest for newspaper/magazine advertising ($558 per randomization).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Success of recruitment methods may vary based on target population and location. Planning of recruitment efforts is essential to the success of any clinical trial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, National University of Health Sciences, Lombard, IL 60148, USA. jcambron@nuhs.edu
authors.forename: Jerrilyn A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cambron
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dexheimer
authors.forename: Mabel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D026882:Manipulation, Chiropractic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011177:Postal Service; D011845:Radio; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*