STRATEGIES TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO RECRUITMENT AND PARTICIPATION

Area of Science:

• Nursing research focused on cardiovascular disease risk reduction in rural populations.
• Clinical trial methodology and subject recruitment strategies.

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors disproportionately affect rural women.
• Evidence-based nursing interventions are crucial for reducing CVD risk in this demographic.
• Robust sample sizes are essential for statistically powerful research in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify barriers encountered during the recruitment and retention of rural subjects.
• To document solutions employed to enhance participation in the Promoting Heart Health in Rural Women (PHH) study.

Main Methods:

• Examination of nurse researchers' experiences in recruiting rural women for a randomized, controlled trial.
• Implementation of problem-solving strategies including broadened recruitment areas and inclusion criteria.
• Utilized community liaison assistance and identified rural-specific recruitment strategies from existing literature.

Main Results:

• Broadening recruitment areas and inclusion criteria facilitated overcoming initial recruitment challenges.
• Community liaison support was instrumental in engaging the rural population.
• Perseverance and tailored rural strategies were key to successful subject retention.

Conclusions:

• Effective recruitment and retention strategies are vital for conducting underpowered nursing research.
• Addressing rural-specific barriers is essential for building a strong evidence base for nursing interventions.
• Successful recruitment and retention of rural women in the PHH study demonstrate the feasibility of nurse-run intervention trials.