Contrasting approaches to recruitment in primary care research

Aim: To describe approaches to recruitment, key challenges and strategies to improve recruitment among research organizations in the UK. Background: Recruiting research participants is challenging. Less than one-third of studies recruit to target on time. Methods: Descriptive survey with 31 participants from 22 public and private sector organizations. Findings: We identified a range of recruitment pathways, highlighting the extensive range of activities required throughout the process. Methods reported to improve recruitment were related to project management, context and resources. There were differences in emphasis between sectors concerning prioritization of staff roles, feasibility work and marketing. Conclusions: Organizations involved in primary care research adopt diverse approaches, yet cross-fertilization between groups is limited.