Did previous involvement in research affect recruitment of young people with cerebral palsy to a longitudinal study of transitional health care?

Objective: To assess whether being contacted about or participating in previous research and method of approaching potential participants affected recruitment to a transition study from child to adult healthcare services of young people with cerebral palsy (CP).

Design And Methods: Young people with CP aged 14-18 years without severe intellectual impairment were identified from regional registers of CP in Northern Ireland and the North of England. χ and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess differences in CP and sociodemographic characteristics between those recruited and those who refused. Logistic regression was used to assess contact about and recruitment to previous research and method of approach as predictors of recruitment, controlling for demographic and CP characteristics.

Results: Of the 410 young people who were approached; 162 did not respond and of the 248 who responded, 96 (23%) were recruited. There were significant differences between those recruited and those who refused in age and number of previous studies they had participated in. Those who were older or who had previously been approached about research were more likely to be recruited to our study. However, those who had been recruited to previous studies were more likely to refuse to join our study.

Conclusions: The method of approach to potential participants did not affect recruitment. Older adolescents and those who had been approached about previous research were more likely to take part in our study, although there was evidence of research fatigue because if they had actually been recruited to the previous studies they were less likely to join our study. Recruitment of adolescents to studies remains challenging.