Participant recruitment in intervention research: scientific integrity and cost‐effective strategies

Abstract

The success of any intervention study is dependent on the ability of investigators to recruit and retain appropriate and sufficient numbers of research participants. Yet, investigators sometimes overestimate their ability to address the methodological issue of participant recruitment. This is detrimental to scientific integrity and especially challenging when a study's recruitment resources are limited. This article describes the research recruitment process and provides an analysis of issues and strategies for scientifically responsible participant recruitment. Four phases of the recruitment process are explored as they relate to recruiting scientifically appropriate and sufficient samples. The four phases are as follows: (1) generating initial contacts; (2) consenting; (3) screening; and (4) enrolment and retention. Generalizability of study findings while ensuring human subjects' protections and addressing issues of cost efficiency also are discussed in relation to these phases. Additionally, cost‐effectiveness data are presented for a recently completed intervention study.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Adam M. Lippert for his assistance in preparing Table 1 as well as David Barrett, Lisa Blaeser, Ron A. Cisler and Trina C. Salm Ward for their insights and recruitment data collection efforts. We would also like to acknowledge the leadership and mentoring provided by Dr Allen Zweben as CABHR Director from 1991 to 2004 during which time the work cited was accomplished. This study was supported in part by the Center for Addiction and Behavioral Health Research, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin‐Milwaukee, WI, USA.