TY - JOUR
T1 - A pragmatic examination of active and passive recruitment methods to improve the reach of community lifestyle programs
T2 - The Talking Health Trial
AU - Estabrooks, Paul
AU - You, Wen
AU - Hedrick, Valisa
AU - Reinholt, Margaret
AU - Dohm, Erin
AU - Zoellner, Jamie
PY - 2017/1/19
Y1 - 2017/1/19
N2 - Background: A primary challenge for behavior change strategies is ensuring that interventions can be effective while also attracting a broad and representative sample of the target population. The purpose of this case-study was to report on (1) the reach of a randomized controlled trial targeting reduced sugary beverages, (2) potential participant characteristic differences based on active versus passive recruitment strategies, and (3) recruitment strategy cost. Methods: Demographic and recruitment information was obtained for 8 counties and for individuals screened for participation. Personnel activities and time were tracked. Costs were calculated and compared by active versus passive recruitment. Results: Six-hundred and twenty, of 1,056 screened, individuals were eligible and 301enrolled (77% women; 90% white; mean income $21,981 ± 16,443). Eighty-two and 44% of those responding to passive and active methods, respectively, enrolled in the trial. However, active recruitment strategies yielded considerably more enrolled (active = 199; passive = 102) individuals. Passive recruitment strategies yielded a less representative sample in terms of gender (more women), education (higher), and income (higher; p's <0.05). The average cost of an actively recruited and enrolled participant was $278 compared to $117 for a passively recruited and enrolled participant. Conclusions: Though passive recruitment is more cost efficient it may reduce the reach of sugary drink reduction strategies in lower educated and economic residents in rural communities. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov; ID: NCT02193009, July 2014, retrospectively registered.
AB - Background: A primary challenge for behavior change strategies is ensuring that interventions can be effective while also attracting a broad and representative sample of the target population. The purpose of this case-study was to report on (1) the reach of a randomized controlled trial targeting reduced sugary beverages, (2) potential participant characteristic differences based on active versus passive recruitment strategies, and (3) recruitment strategy cost. Methods: Demographic and recruitment information was obtained for 8 counties and for individuals screened for participation. Personnel activities and time were tracked. Costs were calculated and compared by active versus passive recruitment. Results: Six-hundred and twenty, of 1,056 screened, individuals were eligible and 301enrolled (77% women; 90% white; mean income $21,981 ± 16,443). Eighty-two and 44% of those responding to passive and active methods, respectively, enrolled in the trial. However, active recruitment strategies yielded considerably more enrolled (active = 199; passive = 102) individuals. Passive recruitment strategies yielded a less representative sample in terms of gender (more women), education (higher), and income (higher; p's <0.05). The average cost of an actively recruited and enrolled participant was $278 compared to $117 for a passively recruited and enrolled participant. Conclusions: Though passive recruitment is more cost efficient it may reduce the reach of sugary drink reduction strategies in lower educated and economic residents in rural communities. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov; ID: NCT02193009, July 2014, retrospectively registered.
KW - Behavioral research
KW - Beverages
KW - Randomized controlled trial
KW - Reach
KW - Representativeness
KW - Rural population
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U2 - 10.1186/s12966-017-0462-6
DO - 10.1186/s12966-017-0462-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 28103935
AN - SCOPUS:85009895696
VL - 14
JO - International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
JF - International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
SN - 1479-5868
IS - 1
M1 - 7
ER -