title: Use of screening to recruitment ratios as a tool for planning and implementing spinal cord injury rehabilitation research.
abstract: METHODS
  Descriptive report.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe screening to recruitment (S:R) ratios and discuss their use for planning and implementing research among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) .
  
  
  METHODS
  Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  We calculated S:R ratios for SCI research by study methodology and nature of the exposure/intervention for 25 studies previously conducted in a tertiary SCI rehabilitation facility. Study methodologies included ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs), nine cohort studies and six panel studies. Exposures included seven rehabilitation interventions, and three drug studies, ten telephone interviews/chart abstractions (TI/CA) and five surveys. A S:R ratio was calculated for each study methodology, and exposure type, by dividing the number of consenting individuals who underwent screening by the number of eligible recruited participants enrolled in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In terms of design, RCTs had the highest median S:R ratio (3:1), followed by cohort studies (2:1) and panel studies (2:1). In terms of intervention type, drug studies had the largest median S:R ratio (5:1), followed in descending order by rehabilitation studies (2:1), TI/CAs studies (2:1) and surveys (2:1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reported S:R ratios varied substantially with study methodology and the associated study intervention exposure. Awareness of S:R ratios may assist researchers in estimating recruitment timelines, personnel needs and study budgets for a required sample size based on the planned study methodology and intended study exposure. We advocate for the routine reporting of S:R ratios to inform the success of future SCI research.
authors.affiliation: 1] Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Department of Medicine and Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Craven
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balioussis
authors.affiliation: 1] Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hitzig
authors.affiliation: 1] Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: 1] Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Verrier
authors.affiliation: 1] Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Giangregorio
authors.affiliation: 1] Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Popovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D018579:Patient Selection; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*