Article
Effectiveness of recruitment strategies in dementia care research: a systematic methodological review
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Authors
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Julian Hirt
- Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Competence Center Dementia Care, Institute of Nursing Science, Department of Health, Schweiz; University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Pragmatic Evidence Lab, Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel (RC2NB), Basel, Schweiz
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Thomas Beer
- Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Competence Center Dementia Care, Institute of Nursing Science, Department of Health, Schweiz
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Adelheid Zeller
- Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Competence Center Dementia Care, Institute of Nursing Science, Department of Health, Schweiz
| Published: | March 12, 2024 |
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Outline
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Background/research question: Dementia care research aims to explore, assess, and optimize the care and quality of life of people with dementia. To design and evaluate dementia-specific interventions, research participation of people with dementia is a fundamental step. The recruitment of people with dementia is challenging and they are frequently excluded from research. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of recruitment strategies in dementia care research.
Methods: We conducted a methodological systematic review and considered any study that assessed the effectiveness of recruitment strategies on any outcome for people with dementia; published as journal articles without restrictions on publication year and language. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection, Google, and ORRCA (Online Resource for Research in Clinical triAls). In addition, we checked relevant evidence syntheses and performed citation searching based on eligible publications. Title and abstracts were screened by one reviewer; full texts were selected by two reviewers independently (CRD42022342600; [1]). We narratively and graphically summarised the results.
Results: We included 10 studies. Half of them were published within the last three years; mostly from the US or UK using a cross-sectional design. The sample size of studies ranged between 25 and 1,275. Assessed interventions covered information-based strategies (e.g., media or advertisements), network and collaboration (e.g., referral from other studies or past participants), study-related aspects (e.g., incentives), and multimodal strategies (i.e., combined strategies). Study information distributed using electronic and print-based material and partnerships with clinical service providers reached the highest number of recruited participants, whereas advertisements were most expensive.
Conclusion: There is little evidence on the effectiveness of recruitment strategies of people with dementia. However, dementia-specific strategies are missing. The results of our systematic review may inform and guide research teams when designing their strategy to recruit people with dementia. Future research should aim to design and evaluate dementia-specific recruitment strategies.
Competing interests: All authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
- 1.
- Hirt, J, Beer T, Zeller, A. Recruitment strategies in dementia care research (RecruiD): a mixed-methods systematic review on recruitment facilitators, barriers, and interventions. PROSPERO; 2022. Verfügbar unter: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=342600
