Are enrollment sites the key to optimizing participation in genetic studies?

Abstract

In a time when the challenge of people being over-researched and experiencing research fatigue is increasingly discussed, low participation rates and potential sample biases are a growing concern in genetic research. In a recent study assessing factors relevant to successful recruitment of patients with myocardial infarction to a genetic study, enrollment site was identified as the most important factor associated with patient participation, whereas patient-level factors such as race, gender and education played a limited or no role. These results underline the importance of appropriate recruitment routines at enrollment sites in order to reach high levels of participation in genetic research. © 2011 BioMed Central Ltd.