Practical problems in recruiting patients with schizophrenia into randomised controlled trials

BMJ 1999;318:1075 ( 17 April )

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Practical problems in recruiting patients with schizophrenia into randomised controlled trials

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EDITOR $---$ Thornley and Adams surveyed the content and quality of trials relating to the care of those with schizophrenia.¹They found that studies were of short duration (only 19% withsix months of follow up), had few patients (mean number 65), andrarely community based (19%). They concluded that "large studies,of long duration ... are needed," but they did not discuss thepossible reasons for thesefindings.

We are currently undertaking a community based randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a patient held medicalrecord for people with schizophrenia. Power calculations suggestthat we need to recruit 100 patients into each arm of the trial( $alpha$ =0.05, power=90%) to show a clinically meaningful effect onsatisfaction with health care² and mental health status.³

As we had anticipated, during the first 12 months of this three year trial we encountered several practical problems affectingrecruitment. Potential participants were approached through . . . [Full text of this article]

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