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Cognitive deficits in participants and the abrupt and traumatic way in which many neurological conditions present are two examples of the unique challenges in recruiting and retaining subjects with neurological injury for research studies. The purpose of this investigation was to identify obstacles to recruitment and retention in three ongoing research studies. These studies involve persons with neurological disorders across the continuum of care, from those newly diagnosed and with emergent presentation to those with more established, chronic neurological conditions. For the purpose of this analysis, we evaluated the effectiveness of the strategies employed to improve participation rates. The first study was an NIH funded project designed to identify biomarkers of vasospasm in persons (N=496) with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) who presented to the neurovascular intensive care unit (NINR, RO1 NR004339). The purpose of the second study was to examine bio-behavioral interactions in family caregivers (N=59) of persons with a primary malignant brain tumor (PMBT) recruited in the community setting. The third project involved recruiting persons (N=1019) within an outpatient neurosurgical center to participate in a research registry. To determine differential effectiveness of strategies, consent and attrition rates were calculated at serial points over time in three studies and recruitment and retention strategies were compared. Sentinel time points in participants' disease trajectories played a key role in determining whether those who were approached to participate gave consent and were retained, particularly in the studies involving persons with aneurysmal SAH (consent = 85%; retention = 89%) and persons with PMBTs and their caregivers (consent = 68%; retention = 83%). In addition, several specific recruiter and interviewer training techniques were associated with higher recruitment and retention. Targeted strategies to improve participation rates are vital for neuroscience nurses involved in any aspect of clinical research, including those who conduct studies, assist with data collection, and recruit potential participants. IntroResearch has led to tremendous advances in the field of neuroscience. Basic science research has set the stage for technological, pharmaceutical, and behavioral interventions, which show a great deal of promise in improving the lives of persons with a neurologic disorder. The translation of basic science research to clinical practice, however, is dependent upon studies that are able to recruit and retain participants over time. Unfortunately, recruitment in neurological research is challenging due to potential barriers such as cognitive dysfunction in the participant and the often traumatic onset of neurologic insult. In other areas of health care NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript research, participants are typically screened for cognitive dysfunction and those that do not meet criteria are excluded from participation. In neuroscie...

Although several studies have quantified costs of cancer care; none to date have examined how cancer costs impact family caregivers' emotional health. This study was designed to evaluate how perceptions of economic hardship influence burden, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in family

Small bowel bleeding accounts for 5–10% of gastrointestinal bleeding. With the advent of capsule endoscopy, device-assisted enteroscopy, and multiphase CT scanning, a small bowel source can now be found in many instances of what has previously been described as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. We present a practical review on the evaluation and management of small bowel bleeding for the practicing clinician.