Including culturally diverse samples in health research: a case study of an urban trial of social support.

Objectives: To describe the recruitment procedures used in a study of Social Support and Family Health carried out in a disadvantaged urban area of the UK in 1999-2001; to consider the impact of using inclusive recruitment procedures on the final research sample and implications for the conduct of the research and data obtained.

Design: Face-to-face recruitment of eligible women, using interpreters where necessary, to a randomized controlled trial of two alternative strategies for providing support to women with infants.

Results: Of the 1,263 women eligible to enter the trial, 731 were successfully recruited.

Evaluating parent support initiatives: lessons from two case studies.

This study describes the characteristics of clients referred to two UK parent support initiatives - Newpin and Home-Start - and documents key aspects of the referral process and clients' responses to the help provided. Data were collected from referral records on 214 families referred during 1992 to four Newpin centres and 349 families referred between April 1994 and March 1995 to four Home-Start schemes. Families were sent questionnaires.