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Recruiting older people for research through general practice: The B rief R isk I dentification G eriatric H ealth T ool trial
Author(s) -
McLean Christine,
Kerse Ngaire,
Moyes Simon A,
Ng Terence,
Lin SsuYu Suei,
Peri Kathryn
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/ajag.12058
Subject(s) - medicine , general practice , older people , family medicine , telephone interview , gerontology , geriatrics , physical therapy , psychiatry , social science , sociology
Aim To describe successful methods of recruitment and identify practice characteristics related to increased recruitment of older people for a randomised controlled trial. Methods General practices in three regions of N ew Z ealand and community‐dwelling patients aged 75 + were recruited for the B rief R isk I dentification G eriatric H ealth T ool trial. General practitioners (GPs) were faxed invitations with telephone follow‐up. Reply‐paid cards with telephone follow‐up were used to invite older people. GP and practice characteristics were examined in relationship to recruitment rate. Results During 2007–2008, 158 of 438 GPs (36%) in 60 of 116 practices approached (52%) were recruited. Regional variation was marked and 3893 of 8308 invited (49%) older people were recruited. The GP's length of time at the practice and training in N ew Z ealand was associated with recruitment success. Conclusions Despite variability in practice recruitment, a reasonably large and representative sample of older people was recruited through general practices.