Recruiting in intervention studies: challenges and solutions

IntroductionIn order for study results to be relevant for practice, the study participants should represent the source population. A common problem is recruitment of sufficient and representative subjects, threatening the external validity of the study and, ultimately, evidence-based practice. The a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ open 2021-01, Vol.11 (1), p.e044702
Main Authors: Axén, Iben, Björk Brämberg, Elisabeth, Galaasen Bakken, Anders, Kwak, Lydia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Disease prevention
Epidemiology
Evidence Based Practice
Human subjects
Humans
Medical research
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Mental disorders
Mental Disorders - therapy
Musculoskeletal diseases
Pain
Patient Selection
primary care
Public health
Spinal manipulation
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Summary:IntroductionIn order for study results to be relevant for practice, the study participants should represent the source population. A common problem is recruitment of sufficient and representative subjects, threatening the external validity of the study and, ultimately, evidence-based practice. The aim was to highlight common challenges and to present possible solutions to recruitment.MethodsUsing four recent randomised controlled trials as examples, common recruitment challenges were highlighted and solutions were proposed. The four studies represented some common and some specific challenges, but they investigated interventions for the prevention of the two major public health challenges of today: musculoskeletal pain and common mental disorders.ResultsIdentified challenges and suggested solutions were presented as a checklist to be used for future trials in order to aid recruitment and reporting thereof.
ISSN:2044-6055
2044-6055
DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044702