Recruitment and Retention of Stroke Survivors: The CAReS Experience

Abstract

Recruiting participants with chronic disabling conditions into research studies is a complex process, involving consideration of the rigors of Institutional Review Board requirements, complexities of the recruiting site and sensitivity to the needs of elderly participants. Retaining such participants is achieved by careful recruitment that ensures that participants match the established criteria, understand the study, and are committed to long-term participation-as well as by minimizing the burden as much as possible on the participants and making them feel an important part of a worthwhile effort throughout the duration of the study. This article reviews the recruitment process and reports strategies used in recruiting and retaining elderly subjects for the CAReS Research Study, an interdisciplinary, randomized intervention research study for stroke survivors and their spousal caregivers. Implications for occupational therapy are addressed.

KEYWORDS:

• Research
• elderly
• stroke
• recruitment
• retention

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sharon K. Ostwald

Celia H. Schulz was a recruiter for the CAReS Research study at the Center on Aging, University of Texas, School of Nursing, Houston, Texas and is Doctoral Candidate in the School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, Texas.

Joan Wasserman is Assistant Professor of Nursing Research at the Center on Aging, University of Texas School of Nursing, Houston, TX 77030.

Sharon K. Ostwald is Professor and the Isla Carroll Turner Chair in Gerontological Nursing, and the Principal Investigator of the CAReS Research study at the Center on Aging, University of Texas School of Nursing, Houston, Texas.