Lessons learned from recruiting young female students to a randomised controlled trial of chlamydia screening

Abstract

For a study on a sensitive topic, two researchers recruiting women in groups after lectures may be a more effective and cost-effective way than individual recruitment by researchers working alone.

Seminars may increase recruitment to randomised controlled trials: lessons learned from WISDOM

“…Although numerous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of various recruitment strategies, to our knowledge few have focused on the effectiveness of group seminars for increasing recruitment. One research team found group information sessions to be a more efficient and cost effective recruitment strategy than individual sessions when recruiting female university students for a community-based trial of chlamydia screening to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease [ 6 ]. Another team found group meetings with families to be a useful strategy for recruiting children to RCTs, where parents must provide consent [ 7 ].…”

Drug use and sexually transmitted infections

“…4 Participants are asked to complete a consent form and questionnaire, and to provide a self-taken lower vaginal swab. They are given a small non-monetary gift in return.…”

“…4 Ciprofloxacin treatment of intermediately resistant cases has a failure rate of 8%, which rises to 60% in fully resistant cases. 6 The data show the importance of ongoing surveillance of susceptibility trends, in particular to modify treatment guidelines.…”

“…4 Furthermore, increases in our population's mobility and the number of immigrants have resulted in greater exposure to multiresistant N. gonorrhoeae in the region. For instance, rates of reduced ceftriaxone susceptibility may be as high as 16.5% in China.…”

Strategies to recruit and retain college smokers in cessation trials

“…Recruitment is one of the most challenging tasks for investigators conducting clinical trials (Harris et al, 2003; Ivaz et al, 2006; Villarruel et al). Others have cited recruitment and retention of study participants as major concerns for any health-related research examining outcomes of treatment (Hough, Tarke, Renker, Shields, & Glatstein, 1996).…”