The cost of recruiting Alzheimer's disease caregivers for research

Objectives: This study examined the cost and outcomes associated with multiple recruitment strategies used to enroll participants in an Alzheimer's disease (AD) care giver study. Methods: Recruitment data were collected as part of an AD caregiving intervention study and examined for number of referrals and participants, yield, personnel cost, materials cost, total cost, and cost per participant. Results: Recruitment rates varied by method implemented and referral source. Overall, 100 participants were enrolled for a total cost of $10,127, yielding an average per participant cost of $101.00. The Formal Recruitment Method, used at agencies with large participant pools, emerged as the most cost-effective strategy. Discussion: Recruitment costs varied greatly, depending on the referral sites and their available pool of participants. Substantial time, money, and personnel need to be budgeted for recruitment efforts given the expected costs, the competing pressures in the health care region, and the variability of participant response.