Recruitment strategies to increase participation of women in reprodictive health research

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Novel recruitment strategies to increase participation of women in reproductive

health research in India

K. KRUPP1, P. MADHIVANAN2, C. KARAT3, V. CHANDRASEKARAN3, M. SARVODE1, J.

KLAUSNER4, & A. REINGOLD2

Abstract

In India, care seeking for reproductive health among women is inadequate. This

poses a unique challenge to researchers recruiting cohorts for studies in

clinic-based settings. The purpose of this paper is to describe the recruitment

process used in a prospective cohort study investigating the relationship

between bacterial vaginosis and acquisition of HSV-2 among sexually active women

in Mysore, India. Participants were initially recruited from an

obstetrics/gynaecology outpatient clinic.

Results were compared with a ‘community supported’ enrolment process, which

included community preparation and reproductive health education followed by

screening of potential participants. During November 2005, 1,054 women were

screened in the clinic

Of the total screened, 246 (23%) were eligible and only 78 (7%) enrolled.

Between December 2005 and April 2006, investigators adopted a community

supported enrolment process. During that period, 1,077 potential participants

were screened, 947 were eligible, and 918 (85%) enrolled. Fifty-six (72%)

participants recruited from the clinic returned for their first follow-up visit,

compared with 795 (97%) participants recruited using the community supported

enrolment process.

Since obstetrics/gynaecology departments in India are poor places to recruit

non-pregnant women of reproductive age, a community supported process yields

more eligible potential participants to screen, and results in significantly

better study retention.

Keywords: India, recruitment, research, reproductive health, women

Correspondence: P. Madhivanan, MBBS, MPH, PhD Candidate, Division of

Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, 140 Warren Hall, Berkeley, CA

94720-7360, USA.

E-mail: mpurnima@...

Global Public Health, October 2007; 2(4): 395_403

ISSN 1744-1692 print/ISSN 1744-1706 online # 2007 & Francis

DOI: 10.1080/17441690701238031

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Purnima Madhivanan

Executive Director,

Public Health Research Institute,

Room 16A, CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital,

Mandi Mohalla, Mysore-560021

Skype ID: purnima_madhivanan

email: pmadhivanan@...

Website: http://www.sahaya.org/prerana/index.htm