journal articles
A PATIENT-CENTERED ANALYSIS OF ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION IN A RANDOMIZED BEHAVIORAL TRIAL OF TWO COGNITIVE REHABILITATION INTERVENTIONS FOR MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
D.E.C. Locke, M. Chandler Greenaway, N. Duncan, J.A. Fields, A.V. Cuc, C. Hoffman Snyder, S. Hanna, A. Lunde, G.E. Smith
J Prev Alz Dis 2014;1(3):143-150
BACKGROUND: A major potential barrier for studying
behavioral interventions for patients with Mild Cognitive
Impairment (MCI) is the willingness and ability of people to
enroll in and adhere to behavioral interventions, especially
when the intervention involves dyads of patients with MCI and
support partners. Details regarding recruitment strategies and
processes (such as number of dyads screened) are often missing
from reports of behavioral trials. In addition, reports do not
detail the reasons a potentially eligible candidate opts out of
participation in a research study.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the challenges and successes of
enrollment and retention in a behavioral trial for persons with
MCI and their care partners, and to better understand barriers
to participation from the patient’s point of view.
DESIGN: Multi-site, randomized trial.
SETTING: Major medical centers.
PARTICIPANTS: Our accrual target for the study was 60
participants. Potential candidates were patients presenting to
memory evaluation clinics whose resulting clinical diagnosis
was MCI. A total of 200 consecutive potential candidates were
approached about participating in the study across the three
sites.
INTERVENTION: Detailed recruitment and retention data of a
randomized trial comparing two behavioral interventions
(memory notebook training versus computer training) provided
in two separate training time frames (10 days versus 6 weeks).
MEASUREMENTS: Structured interview with those declining
to participate in the trial.
RESULTS: Overall recruitment 37% with a range of 13%-72%
across sites. Overall retention 86% with a range of 74%-94%
across sites.
CONCLUSIONS: The primary barriers to enrollment from the
patient’s perspective were distance to the treatment center and
competing comprehensive behavioral programming. However,
retention data suggest that those dyads who enroll in behavioral
programs are highly committed.
CITATION:
D.E.C. Locke ; M. Chandler Greenaway ; N. Duncan ; J.A. Fields ; A.V. Cuc ; C. Hoffman Snyder ; S. Hanna ; A. Lunde ; G.E. Smith (2014): A PATIENT-CENTERED ANALYSIS OF ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION IN A RANDOMIZED BEHAVIORAL TRIAL OF TWO COGNITIVE REHABILITATION INTERVENTIONS FOR MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2014.27