Correspondence

Strategies for improving patient recruitment to focus groups in primary care: a case study reflective paper using an analytical framework

Jane V Dyas¹ , Tanefa Apekey² , Michelle Tilling² and A Niroshan Siriwardena^2,3

¹  National Institute for Health Research, Research Design Service East Midlands, Tower Building, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

²  NHS Lincolnshire, Cross O'Cliff Court, Bracebridge Heath, Lincolnshire, LN4 2HN, UK

³  Faculty of Health, Life & Social Sciences, University of Lincoln Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK

author email corresponding author email

BMC Medical Research Methodology 2009, 9:65doi:10.1186/1471-2288-9-65

Published:	22 September 2009

Abstract

Background

Recruiting to primary care studies is complex. With the current drive to increase numbers of patients involved in primary care studies, we need to know more about successful recruitment approaches. There is limited evidence on recruitment to focus group studies, particularly when no natural grouping exists and where participants do not regularly meet. The aim of this paper is to reflect on recruitment to a focus group study comparing the methods used with existing evidence using a resource for research recruitment, PROSPeR (Planning Recruitment Options: Strategies for Primary Care).

Methods

The focus group formed part of modelling a complex intervention in primary care in the Resources for Effective Sleep Treatment (REST) study. Despite a considered approach at the design stage, there were a number of difficulties with recruitment. The recruitment strategy and subsequent revisions are detailed.

Results

The researchers' modifications to recruitment, justifications and evidence from the literature in support of them are presented. Contrary evidence is used to analyse why some aspects were unsuccessful and evidence is used to suggest improvements. Recruitment to focus group studies should be considered in two distinct phases; getting potential participants to contact the researcher, and converting those contacts into attendance. The difficulty of recruitment in primary care is underemphasised in the literature especially where people do not regularly come together, typified by this case study of patients with sleep problems.

Conclusion

We recommend training GPs and nurses to recruit patients during consultations. Multiple recruitment methods should be employed from the outset and the need to build topic related non-financial incentives into the group meeting should be considered. Recruitment should be monitored regularly with barriers addressed iteratively as a study progresses.