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Table 5 Summary of strategies to improve recruitment discussed in WOMBAT Collaboration workshops

From: A thematic analysis of factors influencing recruitment to maternal and perinatal trials

For participants:

   • provide information that is important to participants (not researchers)

   • use a personalised approach in terms of method and timing of approach and request for consent to participate

   • make it easy to participate by making trial protocol not too onerous

   • use different methods for reaching participants including pamphlets, telephone and mass media

   • increase transparency of information provided about treatment and research to help potential participants understand need for trial

   • assure potential participants there will be no compromise in care if they choose not to participate

For clinicians and participating clinical units/centres:

   • education for staff including communication skills training for potential recruiters

   • provide feedback and information to all involved

   • recognition of contribution through acknowledgement in any publications or where appropriate joint authorship

   • incentives (usually tangible) for reaching recruitment targets

   • use of mass media

   • communication and support

   • make recruitment easy for recruiters

   • develop an important and clinically relevant question

   • have multidisciplinary input (especially unit directors) into trial design to help ensure 'buy-in' from all relevant stakeholders

   • reduce impact of participation on units by having a dedicated research team and a centrally funded researcher who specific role is trial recruitment

   • build relationships within participating centres by identifying and nurturing local contacts and local facilitators and also people likely to influence others

Organisational culture

   • research should be seen as 'standard care' therefore recruitment to clinical trials seen as normal part of clinical practice

   • institution is committed to high quality research

  1. This table summarises results from two workshops held by the WOMBAT Collaboration which focused on recruitment in November 2006 and March 2007.