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Recruiting older men for geriatric suicide research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 August 2012

Sunil S. Bhar ,
Shannon Wiltsey-Stirman ,
David Zembroski ,
Laura McCray ,
David W. Oslin ,
Gregory K. Brown  and
Aaron T. Beck
Sunil S. Bhar*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
Shannon Wiltsey-Stirman
Affiliation:
Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Washington, District of Columbia, USA Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
David Zembroski
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Laura McCray
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
David W. Oslin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA The VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the Philadelphia Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Gregory K. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Aaron T. Beck
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Sunil S. Bhar, PhD, Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, H99, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia. Phone: +613-9214-8371; Fax: +613-9214-8912. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background: Clinical research is required to develop and evaluate suicide prevention interventions in the elderly. However, there is insufficient information available about how to best recruit suicidal older adults for such research. This study evaluated the success and efficiency of five recruitment strategies for a clinical trial on the efficacy of cognitive therapy for suicidal older men.

Methods: For each strategy, the numbers of individuals approached, screened, and enrolled were calculated, and the expenses and time associated with each enrollment estimated. Men who were 60 years or older and who had a desire for suicide over the past month were eligible for the trial.

Results: Of 955 individuals considered for trial, 33 were enrolled. Most enrollments were sourced from the Veterans Affairs Behavioral Health Laboratory. Recruiting form this source was also the most time and cost efficient recruitment strategy in the study.

Conclusions: Recruitment strategies are effective when they are based on collaborative relationships between researchers and providers, and utilize an existing infrastructure for involving patients in ongoing research opportunities.

Keywords

agingresearch design and methodologysuicide
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 88 - 95
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2012

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