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Recruiting Community-Based Dementia Patients and Caregivers in a Nonpharmacologic Randomized Trial: What Works and
Karen Morrison1, Laraine Winter2, Laura N Gitlin3
1Bayada Home Health Care, Philadelphia, PA, USA morrisonkk49@gmail.com.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield and cost of three recruitment strategies-direct mail, newspaper advertisements, and community outreach-for identifying and enrolling dementia caregivers into a randomized trial testing a nonpharmacologic approach to enhancing quality of life of patients and caregivers (dyads).
Method:
Enrollment occurred between 2006 and 2008. The number of recruitment inquiries, number and race of enrollees, and costs for each recruitment strategy were recorded.
Results:
Of 284 inquiries, 237 (83%) dyads enrolled. Total cost for recruitment across methodologies was US$154 per dyad. Direct mailings resulted in the most enrollees (n = 135, 57%) and was the least costly method (US$63 per dyad) compared with newspaper ads (US$224 per dyad) and community outreach (US$350 per dyad). Although enrollees were predominately White, mailings yielded the highest number of non-Whites (n = 37).
Discussion:
Direct mailings was the most effective and least costly method for enrolling dyads in a nonpharmacologic dementia trial.
