Short report: How often do UK primary care trials face recruitment delays?

Bower, P.; Wilson, S.; Mathers, N.

doi:10.1093/fampra/cmm051

Cited by 136Ethics in Clinical ResearchStatistical Methods in Clinical TrialsMeta-analysis and systematic reviews

Short report: How often do UK primary care trials face recruitment delays?

Bower, P., Wilson, S., Mathers, N.·2007·Family Practice

DOI 10.1093/fampra/cmm051

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Abstract

Recruitment to trials is often viewed as problematic but data are scarce. This study surveyed authors of published primary care trials to assess the scale of recruitment problems. Seventy trial authors were surveyed with a response rate of 56%. Less than one-third of trials recruited to their original timescale. Recruitment requiring GPs to gain patient consent was significantly associated with recruitment problems. The data may be useful in the wider drive to improve recruitment in primary care.

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Many randomised controlled trials report challenges with recruitment.
“Many RCTs report challenges with recruitment [4–6]”
From Parental attitudes to randomised controlled trials in primary dental care: A qualitative study (2026) · cites this paper as [5]
The recruitment percentage compares rather favorably to trial recruitment in primary care, which can be problematic in terms of duration and numbers of participants recruited.
“The recruitment percentage also compares rather favorably to trial recruitment in primary care, which can be problematic in terms of duration and numbers of participants recruited as compared to the planned recruitment time and numbers of participants [56].”
From Short-term effectiveness of web-based guided self-help for phobic outpatients: randomized controlled trial. (2014) · cites this paper as [56]

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Fairhurst K, Dowrick C. Problems with recruitment in a randomised controlled trial of counselling in general practice: causes and implications. J Health Serv Res Policy 1996; 1: 77-80.

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Authors: Bower, P., Wilson, S., & Mathers, N.
Affiliations: University of Manchester (GB)
University of Birmingham (GB)
University of Sheffield (GB)
ORCID: Bower, P.
Venue: Family Practice
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published: 2007-11-13
Volume: 24
Issue: 6
Pages: 601-603
ISSN: 0263-2136 (ISSN-L)
1460-2229
DOI: 10.1093/fampra/cmm051
OpenAlex: W2131015924
Cited by: 135
References: 3
Citations by year: 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 6
FWCI: 4.82
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Family Practice (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics in Clinical Research
Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials
Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
Keywords: trial recruitment, general practitioners, patient consent
MeSH terms: Data Collection, United Kingdom, Humans, Time Factors, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Patient Selection

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