OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which of two invitation methods, e-mail or post, was most effective at recruiting general practitioners (GPs) to an online trial. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized controlled trial. Participants were GPs in Scotland, United Kingdom. RESULTS:Two hundred and seventy GPs were recruited. Using e-mail did not improve recruitment (risk difference=0.7% [95% confidence interval -2.7% to 4.1%]). E-mail was, however, simpler to use and cheaper, costing £3.20 per recruit compared with £15.69 for postal invitations. Reminders increased recruitment by around 4% for each reminder sent for both invitation methods. CONCLUSIONS: In the Scottish context, inviting GPs to take part in an online trial by e-mail does not adversely affect recruitment and is logistically easier and cheaper than using postal invitations.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which of two invitation methods, e-mail or post, was most effective at recruiting general practitioners (GPs) to an online trial. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized controlled trial. Participants were GPs in Scotland, United Kingdom. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy GPs were recruited. Using e-mail did not improve recruitment (risk difference=0.7% [95% confidence interval -2.7% to 4.1%]). E-mail was, however, simpler to use and cheaper, costing £3.20 per recruit compared with £15.69 for postal invitations. Reminders increased recruitment by around 4% for each reminder sent for both invitation methods. CONCLUSIONS: In the Scottish context, inviting GPs to take part in an online trial by e-mail does not adversely affect recruitment and is logistically easier and cheaper than using postal invitations.
Authors: Shaun Treweek; Pauline Lockhart; Marie Pitkethly; Jonathan A Cook; Monica Kjeldstrøm; Marit Johansen; Taina K Taskila; Frank M Sullivan; Sue Wilson; Catherine Jackson; Ritu Jones; Elizabeth D Mitchell Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2013-02-07 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Shaun Treweek; Simon Bevan; Peter Bower; Marion Campbell; Jacquie Christie; Mike Clarke; Clive Collett; Seonaidh Cotton; Declan Devane; Adel El Feky; Ella Flemyng; Sandra Galvin; Heidi Gardner; Katie Gillies; Jan Jansen; Roberta Littleford; Adwoa Parker; Craig Ramsay; Lynne Restrup; Frank Sullivan; David Torgerson; Liz Tremain; Matthew Westmore; Paula R Williamson Journal: Trials Date: 2018-02-23 Impact factor: 2.279