Recruitment strategies for cervical cancer prevention study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Clinical Trials
• Cancer Prevention

Background:

• Recruitment is crucial for clinical trial success, especially in studies targeting specific demographics.
• Previous recruitment for cervical cancer prevention studies often relied on clinic-based approaches.
• Low-income and minority populations can present unique recruitment challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two distinct recruitment strategies for a single-visit cervical cancer prevention study.
• To identify optimal methods for engaging low-income, predominantly Latina women in clinical research.
• To assess the impact of recruitment methods on participation rates and participant characteristics.

Main Methods:

• A single-visit cervical cancer prevention study recruited low-income, predominantly Latina women over 12 months.
• Recruitment initially used a clinic registry approach, then shifted to a media campaign (community newspapers, local businesses).
• Participants were randomized to usual care or a single-visit program; demographic and medical data were collected via questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The media campaign recruitment strategy resulted in a significantly higher participation rate (51%) compared to clinic registry recruitment (26%).
• The media strategy also yielded a significantly lower no-show rate among recruited participants.
• No significant differences were observed in participant age, Papanicolaou smear history, education, or income based on recruitment method.

Conclusions:

• A media-based recruitment strategy proved effective and efficient for recruiting participants into a single-visit cervical cancer prevention study.
• This media-driven approach holds promise for enhancing recruitment of underrepresented, low-income groups in future clinical trials.
• Targeted community outreach via media channels can overcome barriers to participation in health research.