title: Recruitment and retention strategies in a clinical trial for children with chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: Successful strategies for recruitment and retention (R & R) in pediatric trials are needed. The purpose of our study was to analyze the effectiveness of R&R in a trial for children with hepatitis C. Recruitment strategies were (1) Initial (months 0-12) and (2) extra effort (months 13-18). Initial strategies enrolled 70/114 (61%) of patients. Extra effort strategies included: (1) radio broadcasts, (2) contact with adult hepatologists, (3) dissemination of study material and (4) modification of the exclusion criteria. The overall retention rate was 84% at 2 years. Lessons learned will be valuable in designing future pediatric trials.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lieb
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hodik
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klipsch
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: Kathleen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011845:Radio; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012107:Research Design
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a