BACKGROUND: Increasing interest in general practice research, especially postal surveys, has been met with decreasing response rates. Prospective, longitudinal surveys pose additional concerns for general practice researchers, one of the major problems being sample attrition after project commencement. OBJECTIVE: This article draws on the authors' experiences from seven studies conducted by them to identify useful strategies for researchers who need to recruit general practitioners and/or their patients, with particular reference to retaining participants across time. A list of issues, lessons learned and possible strategies was developed which, although not exhaustive, probably reflects those commonly encountered in many general practice studies. DISCUSSION: The issues identified here are not necessarily new, but it is useful to revisit such issues and to review and reiterate methods and processes, as even experienced researchers encounter problems from time to time. Studies involving prolonged participation especially, require diligent consideration of likely recruitment/retention problems.
BACKGROUND: Increasing interest in general practice research, especially postal surveys, has been met with decreasing response rates. Prospective, longitudinal surveys pose additional concerns for general practice researchers, one of the major problems being sample attrition after project commencement. OBJECTIVE: This article draws on the authors' experiences from seven studies conducted by them to identify useful strategies for researchers who need to recruit general practitioners and/or their patients, with particular reference to retaining participants across time. A list of issues, lessons learned and possible strategies was developed which, although not exhaustive, probably reflects those commonly encountered in many general practice studies. DISCUSSION: The issues identified here are not necessarily new, but it is useful to revisit such issues and to review and reiterate methods and processes, as even experienced researchers encounter problems from time to time. Studies involving prolonged participation especially, require diligent consideration of likely recruitment/retention problems.
Authors: Henry Brodaty; Louisa Hr Gibson; Melissa L Waine; Allan M Shell; Ruth Lilian; Constance Dimity Pond Journal: Ment Health Fam Med Date: 2013-09
Authors: Sunil S Bhar; Shannon Wiltsey-Stirman; David Zembroski; Laura McCray; David W Oslin; Gregory K Brown; Aaron T Beck Journal: Int Psychogeriatr Date: 2012-08-29 Impact factor: 3.878
Authors: Stephen D Brealey; Christine Atwell; Stirling Bryan; Simon Coulton; Helen Cox; Ben Cross; Fiona Fylan; Andrew Garratt; Fiona J Gilbert; Maureen G C Gillan; Maggie Hendry; Kerenza Hood; Helen Houston; David King; Veronica Morton; Jo Orchard; Michael Robling; Ian T Russell; David Torgerson; Valerie Wadsworth; Clare Wilkinson Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2007-02-27 Impact factor: 4.615
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