Detailed systematic analysis of recruitment strategies in randomised controlled trials in patients with an unscheduled admission to hospital.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To examine the design and findings of recruitment studies in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients with an unscheduled hospital admission (UHA), to consider how to optimise recruitment in future RCTs of this nature.

Design

Studies within the ORRCA database (Online Resource for Recruitment Research in Clinical TriAls; www.orrca.org.uk) that reported on recruitment to RCTs involving UHAs in patients >18 years were included. Extracted data included trial clinical details, and the rationale and main findings of the recruitment study.

Results

Of 3114 articles populating ORRCA, 39 recruitment studies were eligible, focusing on 68 real and 13 hypothetical host RCTs. Four studies were prospectively planned investigations of recruitment intervention

SUBMITTER: Rowlands C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5829602 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature