Recruitment rate and retention of stroke subjects in cross-sectional studies.

This article aimed to determine the recruitment rate of chronic stroke survivors to cross-sectional studies and to determine their retention at the two days of assessments. Participants after six months of a unilateral stroke were screened for eligibility and invited to participate in two cross-sectional studies, by telephone. The number of people who were screened, eligible, and successfully recruited was recorded. Retention at the two days of assessments was also recorded. From a list of 654 individuals, 87 were ineligible. Of the 567 left, 216 had wrong contact numbers, 144 refused to participate, and 12 had died. A total of 165 subjects participated in both studies. Out of the 56 who agreed to attend to the second day of assessment, eight did not return. The results showed that individuals with chronic stroke had low rates of recruitment and retention.