title: Recruitment strategies for an osteoporosis clinical trial: analysis of effectiveness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effectiveness of a planned rapid recruitment strategy in an osteoporosis clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple recruitment methods were explored, including media advertising, searching bone density scan and X-ray results in specialist and primary practice databases, community initiatives, and generation of research centre and study-specific pamphlets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 246 women screened, 41 consenting to the study, only 14 were randomised. Thus, 232 (94%) volunteers were screen failures, ineligible or declined to participate. With regard to the cost-effectiveness of all recruitment strategies, searching the research centre database was the most successful, with four women randomised at a cost of approximately NZ$302 per volunteer. Other strategies were less cost-effective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obtaining a specific study cohort can be achieved by a comprehensive, targeted, rapid recruitment program. A research centre database search was the most successful and cost-effective recruitment modality in this small study.
authors.affiliation: The Canterbury Geriatric Medical Research Trust, C/- The Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand. a.heard@gm-research.org.nz
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heard
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: March
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Helmore
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frampton
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000191:economics; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors