Recruiting children and their families for clinical trials: a case study

Abstract

We describe the recruitment of 226 families for participation in a randomized trial examining the effectiveness of alternative strategies for the management of pediatric asthma. All families were members of a large health maintenance organization. Families of children identified through emergency room and hospital admission records were much more likely to participate in the study than were families of children identified only through outpatient prescription records. Specific details of the recruitment process are described.