Recruitment strategies for a clinical trial of community-based water therapy for osteoarthritis.
Affiliations:
(1) Department of Sport, Health and Exercise, School of Health, Staffordshire University
Source: Br J Gen Pract. 2003 Apr;53(489):315-7.
DOI: Not specified
Publication date:
2003 Apr
E-Publication date:
Not specified
Availability: full text
Copyright: © British Journal of General Practice, 2003, 53,315-317.
Language: English
Countries: Not specified
Location: Not specified
Correspondence address: Dr Rachel Davey,
School of Health, Brindley Building, StaffordshireUniversity, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent ST4 2DF.
E-mail : r.davey@staffs.ac.u
School of Health, Brindley Building, StaffordshireUniversity, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent ST4 2DF.
E-mail : r.davey@staffs.ac.u
Keywords
Article abstract
This study compares the efficiency of two methods of recruitment into a randomised controlled trial examining the cost-effectiveness of water therapy for elderly people with lower limb osteoarthritis. The direct cost of recruiting patients via general practice was 27.66 Pounds per patient (1.1 personnel hours/patient). The cost per recruited patient from a local newspaper article was 2.72 Pounds (0.2 personnel hours/patient). The cost differential between the two recruitment methods was largely owing to poor administration practices, difficulties in accessing patient information, and difficulties in contacting patients from the general practice computer database.