668-P: Experiencing a New Role for the Diabetes Educators Recruiting for Longitudinal Studies, Kuwaiti Experience

Abstract

Background: Kuwait is the second highest country in the incidence of T1D globally. Familial study of this disease may disclose certain causative agents responsible for passing the disease through families. The recruitment of T1D patients and their family members to participate in a Kuwaiti autoimmune diabetes (KADS) Study was challenging. It is a longitudinal study, it required taking blood samples every 6 months for 3 years duration for all family members of a person with diabetes. It is important to note that, in Kuwait, convincing families to participate in researches were an extremely difficult task which needs a highly skilled personal to persuade family participations. Aim: This abstract aimed to examine different recruitment approaches which were used and highlights the role of diabetes educators (DE) in the recruitment process. Method: Three recruitment approaches were examined.1-Physician-approach; recruitment took place through their physicians follow up visit.2-Research coordinator (RC) approach recruitment took place in the clinic area. While patient is waiting for his medical appointment the research coordinator offers participating in the research.3-DE approach Recruitment took place through their educator follow up visit. Results: Physicians were able to recruit 22 participants, but none of them completed the process of participation. While the RC could not recruit any participants. However, the DEs were able to recruit 274 participants. Conclusion: Although the Kuwaiti families are generally obedient to their doctors, the physician were not able to recruit only few participants for this study. In contrast, the prolonged pre-established good relationship between the patient, family and the DE resulted in mutual trust and facilitated the process of recruitment. Hence, more subjects were recruited compare to the physician and the RC approaches. Thus, the DE approach was proved to be a successful approach to recruit people for researches. Disclosure Z. Rahme: None. N.A. Taha: None. N. Mesbah: None.