Effective recruitment of rural breast cancer survivors into a lifestyle intervention.

Lifestyle interventions may be effective for enhancing quality of life and prognosis among breast cancer survivors, but expanding their reach to underserved rural communities presents some unique challenges. Recruitment for this lifestyle intervention trial among rural breast cancer survivors was carried out by developing local partnerships with rural oncology practices and hospitals who were members of regional community oncology organizations. Recruitment strategies included mailing a tailored study brochure accompanied by a cover letter from providers and an opt-in/opt-out postcard, media coverage, clinic-based oncologist referrals, and community outreach. Mailing the tailored study brochure with the opt-in postcard yielded the highest number of survivors who enrolled in the lifestyle intervention trial. Oncologist referrals yielded a small number of participants but had the highest enrollment rate, and thus appear to play an important role in motivating some patients.