Recruitment of a multi-site randomized controlled trial of aerobic exercise for older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: The EXERT trial

Introduction Effective strategies to recruit older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) into nonpharmacological intervention trials are lacking. Methods Recruitment for EXERT, a multisite randomized controlled 18-month trial examining the effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive trajectory in adults with amnestic MCI, involved a diverse portfolio of strategies to enroll 296 participants. Results Recruitment occurred September 2016 through March 2020 and was initially slow. After mass mailings of 490,323 age- and geo-targeted infographic postcards and brochures, recruitment rates increased substantially, peaking at 16 randomizations/month in early 2020. Mass mailings accounted for 52% of randomized participants, whereas 25% were recruited from memory clinic rosters, electronic health records, and national and local registries. Other sources included news broadcasts, public service announcements (PSA), local advertising, and community presentations. Discussion Age- and geo-targeted mass mailing of infographic materials was the most effective approach in recruiting older adults with amnestic MCI into an 18-month exercise trial.

Automated summary

Effective recruitment strategies for older adults with MCI into nonpharmacological intervention trials are lacking. However, mass mailings of infographic materials significantly increased recruitment rates in this 18-month exercise trial, accounting for 52% of randomized participants. Other sources included memory clinic rosters, electronic health records, and national/local registries.