J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2024;39(4):359-370. doi: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000001000. Epub 2023 May 11.
Recruiting participants with cardiovascular disease into research during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging, particularly those at risk of health disparities.
During the pandemic, 12 cohorts of older women with cardiovascular disease were recruited from cardiology clinics into a lifestyle intervention trial to prevent cognitive decline. Objectives were to ( a ) describe the results of modified recruitment/screening strategies to overcome pandemic-related challenges and ( b ) evaluate differences in age, race, and ethnicity between patients recruited/randomized, recruited/not randomized (entered recruitment but not randomized because of being ineligible or not interested), and not recruited (clinic patients who met preliminary criteria but did not enter recruitment).
This was a cross-sectional descriptive analysis. In-person study strategies proposed before the COVID-19 pandemic were modified before study onset (September 2020). Women 65 years or older with cardiovascular disease were recruited from cardiology clinics by clinicians, posted flyers, and letters mailed to patients randomly selected from electronic health record data extractions. Patients were classified as recruited/randomized, recruited/not randomized, and not recruited.
Of 5719 patients potentially eligible, 1689 patients entered recruitment via referral (49.1%), posted flyers (0.5%), or mailed letters (50.3%), and 253 patients were successfully recruited/randomized. Recruited/randomized participants were, on average, 72.4 years old (range, 65-90 years old), non-Hispanic White (54.2%), non-Hispanic Black (38.3%), Hispanic/Latinx (1.6%), and other/not reported (5.1%). The recruited/randomized group was significantly younger with fewer patients of Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity compared with those not recruited.
During the pandemic, all recruitment/screening goals were met using modified strategies. Differences in sociodemographic representation indicate a need for tailored strategies.
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，招募患有心血管疾病的参与者参与研究具有挑战性，尤其是那些存在健康差异风险的人。
在大流行期间，从心脏病学诊所招募了 12 组患有心血管疾病的老年女性参加预防认知能力下降的生活方式干预试验。目的是(a)描述克服与大流行相关挑战的修改后的招募/筛选策略的结果，以及(b)评估招募/随机分组的患者、招募但未随机分组的患者（因不符合条件或不感兴趣而未被随机分组）和未招募的患者（符合初步标准但未进入招募的诊所患者）之间在年龄、种族和民族方面的差异。
这是一项横断面描述性分析。在 COVID-19 大流行之前提出的面对面研究策略在研究开始前（2020 年 9 月）进行了修改。通过临床医生、张贴传单和向从电子健康记录数据提取中随机选择的患者邮寄信件，从心脏病学诊所招募年龄在 65 岁及以上患有心血管疾病的女性。患者被分为招募/随机分组、招募但未随机分组和未招募。
在 5719 名可能符合条件的患者中，有 1689 名患者通过转介（49.1%）、张贴传单（0.5%）或邮寄信件（50.3%）进入招募，有 253 名患者成功被招募/随机分组。招募/随机分组的参与者平均年龄为 72.4 岁（65-90 岁），非西班牙裔白人（54.2%）、非西班牙裔黑人（38.3%）、西班牙裔/拉丁裔（1.6%）和其他/未报告（5.1%）。与未招募的患者相比，招募/随机分组的患者年龄明显较小，且西班牙裔/拉丁裔患者较少。
在大流行期间，使用修改后的策略实现了所有招募/筛选目标。社会人口统计学代表性的差异表明需要制定有针对性的策略。
