Using behaviour change theory to inform an innovative recruitment strategy in a mental health research setting

Publication date: Available online 25 September 2019Source: Journal of Psychiatric ResearchAuthor(s): Michael Musker, Camille Short, Julio Licinio, Ma-Li Wong, Niranjan BidargaddiAbstractRecruitment in mental health research is challenging, as some disorders such as depression or schizophrenia may involve vulnerable participants that lack motivation as part of their illness. A mental health diagnosis can be stigmatising, so privacy and access to hospital-based patient cohorts is carefully controlled. Our team describe a pragmatic portal recruitment process for facilitating timely recruitment into multiple research studies focusing on mental health. Three factors were analysed; evaluating the success and impact of this novel recruitment process; identification of patterns in recruitment to better target participants; and provision of metrics of the different media formats engaged. A web-based recruitment portal was developed by the research team in collaboration with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Consumer & Carer Research Advisory Group. A comprehensive marketing campaign was then undertaken to direct participants towards the portal. Recruitment insights from the dates and times of registration across a two-year period is provided. In total, 933 potential participants registered with the recruitment portal across a two-year period at a cost of approximately $10,000. The advertisement campaign linked to the portal page enabled 506 participa...
Source: Journal of Psychiatric Research - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research