Title

Development and impact of an intervention to boost recruitment in a multicenter pediatric randomized clinical trial.

Year of Publication

2014

Number of Pages

151-7

Date Published

2014 Feb

ISSN Number

1938-2707

Abstract

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>Our primary objective was to develop and evaluate an intervention to increase recruitment in a multicenter pediatric randomized clinical trial (RCT). Our secondary objective was to assess the impact beyond 120 days.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>The study was conducted at 17 academic centers participating in a pediatric RCT. The intervention consisted of utilizing a recruitment assessment tool at a site visit or teleconference with key site personnel.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>We found a significant increase in the number of individuals enrolled for all 17 sites at 120 days postintervention (mean = 1.12 per site; median = 1 per site; 95% confidence interval = 1-2; P = .04). No significant differences were apparent beyond the first 120 days postintervention.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Successful recruitment in RCTs is essential to the quality, generalizability, and cost-effectiveness of clinical research. Implementation of this recruitment intervention may effectively increase recruitment in RCTs. Beyond the first 120 days postintervention, repeated interventions may be required. What is new? Despite general and pediatric-specific challenges to recruitment in RCTs, a paucity of evidence exists on effective recruitment strategies or assessment tools to reliably enhance recruitment. We developed a recruitment intervention for use in RCTs that enables clinical researchers to enhance recruitment.</p>

DOI

10.1177/0009922813506961

Alternate Title

Clin Pediatr (Phila)

PMID

24151147

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