Recruitment in NHLBI population-based studies and randomized clinical trials: data analysis and survey results

Data on screening and recruitment from current and previous NHLBI population-based studies (PBSs) and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were examined. In only two of the studies examined was the projected recruitment completed within the planned recruitment period. The shape of the graph of the relation between enrollment of participants and time varies by study. A single summary statistic for measuring the efficiency of recruitment in RCTs and PBSs is proposed and applied to the examined studies. In addition to providing summary data on recruitment for several studies, this article reports the survey results of a questionnaire sent to the coordinating centers of currently and previously funded National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Veteran's Administration studies. The purpose was to ascertain the desirability of recommending that a generic core of information be collected on recruitment and screening in future studies. Most respondents believed that comparing data collected uniformly and prospectively might be helpful in designing further studies. The variables most respondents believed to be potentially useful are described.