Recruitment of participants in the childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP). I. Description of methods: Childhood Asthma Management Program Research Group

Abstract

The Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP), a multicenter clinical trial sponsored by the Division of Lung Diseases of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is the largest outcome study of mild to moderate asthma in children to be undertaken, with eight clinical centers in the United States and Canada participating. The initial recruitment goal was 960 children within an 18-month recruitment period. Recruitment was extended to 23 months, with 1041 children randomized from late December, 1993, to early September, 1995. In this time interval each of the eight centers met the recruitment goal of 120 using a variety of self-selected recruitment strategies. The goal for minority recruiting was 33%, or 320 of the planned 960 children to be recruited. CAMP achieved the overall goal for the number of minorities, with 330 patients. Three centers recruited at or above the expected rate from the beginning. The other five centers had significant delays in recruitment. Examination of the recruitment experiences of the centers with and without delays did not indicate any single recruitment strategy that was certain to be successful. The most commonly cited factors for success were a cohesive staff, endorsement of participation by the child's primary care provider, and ability of the staff to be flexible and honest in assessing progress and the value of recruiting methods being used.