Active recruitment increased enrollment in a hereditary cancer registry

Friebel, Tara M.; Beutler, Ruth Anne; Lee, Shing M.; Bernhardt, Barbara A.; Helzlsouer, Kathy J.; Griffin, Constance A.

doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2004.04.007

« Previous Next »Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 57, Issue 11 , Pages 1172-1176, November 2004

Active recruitment increased enrollment in a hereditary cancer registry

Tara M. Friebel
- Mid-Atlantic Cancer Genetics Network, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Park SB202, 600 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
Ruth Anne Beutler
- Mid-Atlantic Cancer Genetics Network, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Park SB202, 600 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
Shing M. Lee
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Barbara A. Bernhardt
- Mid-Atlantic Cancer Genetics Network, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Park SB202, 600 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Kathy J. Helzlsouer
- Mid-Atlantic Cancer Genetics Network, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Park SB202, 600 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA
Constance A. Griffin
- Mid-Atlantic Cancer Genetics Network, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Park SB202, 600 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: 410-955-8363; fax: 410-614-7440.

Accepted 27 April 2004.

Abstract

Background and objective

The Mid-Atlantic Cancer Genetics Network (MACGN) targets individuals from cancer risk assessment clinics for recruitment into a national hereditary cancer registry. We sought to determine whether different recruitment methods used in a high-risk breast and ovarian cancer clinic yielded differences into enrollment into MACGN.

Methods

Two methods of recruitment were compared over an 8-month period. A passive recruitment technique, used during the first 4 months of recruitment, involved distribution of a brochure. An active recruitment method, used during the second 4-month period, required a MACGN recruiter to approach patients and initiate a brief discussion of the registry.

Results

During the first 4-month period, 158 eight patients were seen in the clinic and 142 were seen in the second 4-month period. During passive recruitment, 20% of available patients were approached, compared with 63% during active recruitment. Active recruitment also resulted in fourfold increase over passive recruitment in enrollment (from 15.6% to 67.4%).

Conclusion

Allocating research staff specifically for recruitment and personal contact with potential participants is effective in achieving increased enrollment into a national hereditary cancer research registry.

Keywords: Registry, Recruitment, Cancer, Genetics, Research participants