Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Nasal Brushing Sampling and Processing Using Digital High Speed Ciliary Videomicroscopy – Adaptation for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on: November 7, 2020
Research staff's experiences of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted recruitment for a paediatric network study
Isobel Fishman1, Suzanne Henderson2, Christina Vadeboncoeur3
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted pediatric research recruitment by affecting research activity and family participation. Building trust with clinicians and adapting research practices are crucial for successful pediatric study enrollment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric clinical research
- Health services research
- Qualitative study methodology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to reduced participation in a Canadian pediatric network study.
- Failure to meet enrollment targets can compromise the strength and validity of research findings.
- Understanding recruitment challenges is vital for maintaining the integrity of pediatric clinical trials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of research staff regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric study recruitment.
- To identify factors influencing participation in a Canadian pediatric network study during the pandemic.
- To inform strategies for improving pediatric research enrollment.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study design utilizing focus group sessions with research staff.
- Analysis of focus group transcripts using Colaizzi's seven-step method.
- Exploration of staff perspectives on recruitment barriers and facilitators.
Main Results:
- Four major themes emerged: pandemic's impact on research activity, parental risk-benefit assessment for children with medical complexity, importance of clinician trust in recruitment, and the need for research flexibility.
- Identified both pandemic-specific and general factors affecting pediatric study enrollment.
- Highlighted the critical role of established relationships between research teams and clinical staff.
Conclusions:
- Both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 factors influenced recruitment for the pediatric network study.
- Addressing identified challenges is essential to mitigate negative impacts on health outcomes.
- Strategies focusing on trust-building and adaptability can improve pediatric research participation.
Purpose:
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a paediatric network study with clinical sites across Canada suffered a reduction in participation. When research studies fail to meet enrolment targets, it can reduce the strength and validity of the results. This study explores research staff's experiences of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted recruitment for a paediatric network study.
Methods:
This study was conducted using a qualitative design. Focus group sessions were used to gain the perspective of research staff involved in recruitment and transcripts were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step method of data analysis.
Results:
Analysis revealed four major themes: (1) the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on research activity; (2) families of children with medical complexity perform a risk-benefit assessment when deciding whether to take part in research; (3) a trusting relationship with clinicians is a key factor in research recruitment; and (4) research needs to be flexible in order to adapt to evolving contexts.
Conclusion:
This study identified both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19-related factors that impacted study recruitment for a paediatric network study. Understanding and addressing these challenges will mitigate the negative impacts on health outcomes that can occur when research studies fail to meet enrolment targets.
Related Concept Videos
02:20Longitudinal Research
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...