Difficulties in recruiting older people in clinical trials: An examination of barriers and solutions

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 901 - 906
• Main Authors: Ridda, I, MacIntyre, C.R, Lindley, R.I, Tan, T.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 22.01.2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Allergy and Immunology; Applied microbiology; Barriers to recruitment in clinical trials; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research - methods; Clinical medicine; Clinical trials; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart failure; Human Experimentation; Humans; Microbiology; Morbidity; Mortality; Older people; Participation; Population; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Retention; Solutions to recruitment in clinical trials; Studies; Vaccines - adverse effects; Vaccines - immunology; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Solutions to recruitment in clinical trials; Older people; Barriers to recruitment in clinical trials; Human; Clinical trial; Elderly
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.10.081

Abstract Limited information exists regarding optimal methods for the recruitment and retention of older people in clinical trials. The aim of this review is to identify common barriers to the recruitment of older people in clinical trials and to propose solutions to overcome these barriers. A review of literature was performed to identify common difficulties in recruiting older people. This in combination with our experience during recruitment for a randomized control trial, have highlighted numerous barriers. Population-specific recruitment strategies, simple informed-consent processes, and effective communication between the researcher and subject are effective strategies to overcome these barriers.