Recruitment strategies and success in a multi-county smoking cessation study

The current paper focuses on the process evaluation of recruitment strategies and success in a large study of self-help smoking interventions with mid-life and older smokers in a 15-county area. Recruitment 'channels' were examined: (1) multiple paid newspaper advertisements, (2) free media (i.e., TV and radio), (3) referrals, (4) HMO newsletters, (5) targeted mailings, (6) face-to-face, and (7) passive recruitment. Data were analyzed to determine (1) which channels produced the greatest numbers of information requests, or initial 'recruits', and (2) which produced the greatest number of enrolled subjects. Overall, four channels resulted in the enrollment of 96.4% of the final sample of 1972 subjects. The most reliable, cost-controlled channel was paid newspaper advertisements ($18-19 per enrolled subject), while face-to-face recruitment was inefficient and costly (over $140 per subject). Results can be used to help guide other studies in selecting recruitment strategies for large, geographically diverse, smoking intervention trials.