Background

Challenges of recruitment to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and successful strategies to overcome them should be clearly reported to improve recruitment into future trials. REtirement in ACTion (REACT) is a UK-based multi-centre RCT recruiting older adults at high risk of mobility disability to a 12-month group-based exercise and behaviour maintenance programme or to a minimal Healthy Ageing control intervention.

Methods

The recruitment target was 768 adults, aged 65 years and older scoring 4 to 9 on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Recruitment methods included: a) invitations mailed by General Practitioners (GPs); b) invitations distributed via third sector organisations; c) public relations (PR) campaign. Yields, efficiency and costs were calculated.

Results

The study recruited 777 (33.9% men) community-dwelling, older adults (mean age 77.55 years (SD 6.79), mean SPPB score 7.37 (SD 1.56)), 95.11% white (n=739) and broadly representative of UK quintiles of deprivation. Over a 20-month recruitment period, 25,559 invitations were issued. Eighty-eight percent of participants were recruited via GP invitations, 5.4% via the PR campaign, 3% via word-of-mouth and 2.5% via third sector organisations. Mean recruitment cost per participant was £78.47, with an extra £26.54 per recruit paid to GPs to cover research costs.

Conclusions

REACT successfully recruited to target. Response rates were lower than initially predicted and recruitment timescales required adjustment. Written invitations from General Practitioners were the most efficient method for recruiting older adults at risk of mobility disability. Targeted efforts could achieve more ethnically diverse cohorts. All trials should be required to provide recruitment data to enable evidence-based planning of future trials.

中文翻译：

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试验的磨难：经验教训招募 777 名老年人进入退休行动 (REACT)，一项针对行动障碍的社区、基于群体的积极老龄化干预试验

背景

应明确报告随机对照试验 (RCT) 的招募挑战和克服这些挑战的成功策略，以改善未来试验的招募。行动中的退休 (REACT) 是一项总部位于英国的多中心随机对照试验，招募行动不便高风险的老年人参加为期 12 个月的基于群体的锻炼和行为维持计划或最低限度的健康老龄化控制干预。

方法

招募目标是 768 名年龄在 65 岁及以上的成年人，他们的短期体能测试 (SPPB) 得分为 4 至 9 分。招聘方式包括： a) 全科医生（GP）邮寄邀请函；b) 通过第三部门组织发出的邀请；c) 公共关系 (PR) 活动。计算产量、效率和成本。

结果

该研究招募了 777 名（33.9% 男性）居住在社区的老年人（平均年龄 77.55 岁 (SD 6.79)，平均 SPPB 评分 7.37 (SD 1.56)），其中 95.11% 是白人 (n=739)，并且广泛代表英国五分之一的剥夺。在 20 个月的招聘期内，发出了 25,559 份邀请。88% 的参与者是通过 GP 邀请招募的，5.4% 通过公关活动招募，3% 通过口碑传播，2.5% 通过第三方部门组织招募。每位参与者的平均招募成本为 78.47 英镑，每位招募者额外支付 26.54 英镑给全科医生以支付研究费用。

结论

REACT 成功招募到目标。响应率低于最初预测，招聘时间表需要调整。全科医生的书面邀请是招募有行动障碍风险的老年人的最有效方法。有针对性的努力可以实现更多种族多样化的群体。应要求所有试验提供招募数据，以便能够以证据为基础规划未来的试验。