Effective strategies for recruiting families ascertained through alcoholic probands.

BACKGROUND: Recruiting a large number of participants meeting strict inclusion criteria can be challenging, particularly when selecting for a condition associated with a social stigma such as alcoholism, when participation involves collection of medical specimens and sensitive information, and when the participation of family members or other collaterals is required. Developing and implementing a successful recruitment plan depends upon identifying the most effective recruitment strategies given the available resources.
METHODS: Several strategies for recruiting subjects for a large family study on the genetics of alcoholism were evaluated over a two-year period with regard to participant yield, time and cost expenditure.
RESULTS: Overall effectiveness of a recruitment strategy was determined based on a composite of yield, cost and time expenditure. The most effective recruitment strategies were direct mail, press release, the Internet and treatment center collaborations.
CONCLUSION: Results provide insight into successful strategies for recruiting large numbers of participants and their family members selected for a condition associated with a social stigma.