Recruitment Sources Research Articles

Benefits of an International Volunteer Experience in Residency Training

In this article, we review the literature describing the benefit of international surgical volunteerism on resident training. Review of recent data demonstrates a resident benefit by decreasing burnout and improving clinical skill, cost-containment strategies, and personal and professional development. There is also a demonstrable benefit to institutions by way of improved resident recruitment and additional philanthropic funding sources. Finally, benefits to healthcare systems have been documented by way of “reverse innovation” and increased healthcare worker productivity. We provide data to support that international volunteerism reaches beyond the patients and providers at the individual level to also provide domestic benefit to practices, institutions, and the healthcare system as well.

Internal Recruiting Strategy as an Instrument for Managing Knowledge Workforce During Critical Times

In determining whether to recruit from within or outside the organization, employers should consider the nature and level of the job, structures of the firm and industry, and an organization’s system of human resource management policies and procedures, such as intensive recruitment and screening policies and training are required. This article focuses on why internal recruitment should be considered as a source of recruitment. Secondly, to reduce the cost of hiring and to retain stable employees with the required competence for a position. The internal recruiting strategy provides a source of motivation for each individual promoted and assures that high performers are rewarded. Internal hiring must be preferred to external hiring considering the knowledge and skills specific to the firm are essential for the organization growth when promotions are vital for encouraging and motivating current workers when the recruitment budgets of a hiring blunder are mainly large, and when a surplus vacancy is not too costly (created when a worker switches jobs internally). This article focuses on analyzing the significance of internal recruitment and justifies its need for particular positions in the organization.

Estimation of vital population rates to assess the relative health of mussel assemblages in the Upper Mississippi River

Abstract Native freshwater mussels are a guild of benthic, filter feeding invertebrates that perform important ecological functions in rivers. Because of their long lifespans (30–50 years or longer), mussels are slow to respond to human‐induced alterations. Thus, development of sensitive indicators of mussel population responses to river conditions and management would be beneficial. Compared to marine species, estimation of vital rates (e.g. survival, growth) in freshwater mussels has received little attention. We placed passively integrated transponder tags on 578 mussels of four species (Amblema plicata, Cyclonaias pustulosa, Obliquaria reflexa, and Pleurobema sintoxia) in a well‐studied mussel assemblage in a side channel of the upper Mississippi River. Growth and survival of tagged mussels were assessed annually for 4 years across core (high density) and peripheral (low density) areas of the assemblage. Overall survival was highly variable, ranging from c. 15 to 90%, and was related to life history, habitat quality, and hydrologic events. Survival, which varied significantly among species and over time, was consistently higher in the dense and species‐rich core of the mussel assemblage, relative to the periphery because substrates were consistently more stable in the core of the mussel bed relative to the periphery. Substrate movement during low flows was an order of magnitude lower in the core relative to the periphery, and survival was inversely related to stability of river substrates. Patterns in habitat‐specific survival indicate source–sink population dynamics such that mussels in the core habitat provide recruitment to the periphery, but mussels in the periphery are subject to unsustainably low survival; additional studies to track the source of recruitment in the periphery are needed to test this hypothesis. Growth rate did not vary significantly between core and peripheral areas but did vary by species. Growth rate (proportional change per year) declined with age, and was similar at mean age for A. plicata (0.016 per year), P. sintoxia (0.015 per year), and C. pustulosa (0.013 per year), but much lower for O. reflexa (0.008 per year). Effective management decisions for mussels requires a better understanding of how vital rates govern populations and how they vary across a suite of physical and biological factors. Information on how population vital rates vary among species and over time gives managers another tool to understand how mussels may respond to management actions such as habitat restoration projects. Given the importance of substrate stability inferred from this study, management actions that maintain or increase substrate stability are likely to result in high quality mussel assemblages and may restore a valuable component of ecosystem function in this region.

MANAJEMEN STRATEGIK MUTU REKRUTMEN TENAGA KEPENDIDIKAN DI INSTITUT AGAMA ISLAM NEGERI MADURA

This article describes the implementation of quality management strategic recruitment of education personnel in the state islamic institute of madura. State islamic institute of madura as one of the earliest educational institutes which was present based on the background of the community's need for higher education and then the results will be returned to the community. so as to ensuring the quality of graduates it is necessary to recruit the quality of education personnel so that ensuring the expected educational success.strategic management of the recruitments quality of education personnel in the state islamic institute of madura so far is good enough, although there are some things that need to improved with the form of recruitment strategic management of education personnel in the state islamic institute of madura is good enought. It can be seen from several things, namely : quality of recruitment, source of recruitment. Than for the implementation of recruitment strategic management of the quality education personnel in the state islamic institute of madura more on : human resources seen in recruitment and constraints in recruitment

Using targeting to recruit men and women of color into a behavioral weight loss trial

BackgroundThe majority of participants in weight loss trials are non-Hispanic White women, while men and women of color are underrepresented. This study presents data obtained from non-targeted and targeted recruitment approaches in a trial of behavioral weight loss programs to (1) describe the yields from each approach and (2) compare the demographics, weight control histories, and study involvement of samples recruited by each approach.MethodsData for this observational study include source of recruitment, demographic information, weight loss experiences (e.g., lifetime weight loss, current weight loss behaviors), and completion of the 6-month assessment visit.ResultsMen comprised 14.2% of participants who responded to non-targeted recruitment efforts, while targeted efforts yielded 50.4% men. Similarly, people of color comprised 12.8% of those who responded to non-targeted approaches, whereas targeted recruitment methods yielded 47.2% people of color. Men recruited through targeted methods were younger (p = 0.01) than men recruited through non-targeted means but were otherwise similar. Women of color recruited through targeted methods reported use of fewer weight loss strategies relative to women of color recruited through non-targeted means (p = 0.006) but were otherwise similar. There were no differences by recruitment method on retention to the study.ConclusionsUsing targeted recruitment methods increased the ethnic and gender diversity of the recruited sample without reducing study retention. This targeting also increased the enrollment of women with less weight loss experience who may not have otherwise sought out a weight loss program. Developing and implementing a targeted recruitment plan should be considered early in the clinical trial development process.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT02368002. Registered on 20 February 2015.

Abstract D067: The REACT study: A feasibility study to develop and test the integration of a California Cancer Registry Early Case Ascertainment process via electronic pathology reporting with an online clinical trial matching tool

Abstract Background: Representation of diverse patient populations in prostate cancer clinical trials is essential to ensure that trial results are applicable to all affected men. However, underrepresentation among racial/ethnic minorities remains a critical problem in cancer research. Population-based cancer registries provide a potential platform to overcome problems with inclusion of diverse patient populations in clinical research if they are used as a source for recruitment. Methods: Leveraging the statewide implementation of electronic pathology (e-path) for cancer case identification, we performed a pilot feasibility study, REACT (Registry Early case Ascertainment process via e-path with an online Clinical Trial matching tool), within the Greater Bay Area Cancer Registry to (1) develop and test a process using e-path to rapidly identify new cases of advanced prostate cancer for potential enrollment into existing prostate cancer clinical trials; and (2) test the utility of an online clinical trial matching tool used in combination with e-path to improve matching of underrepresented patients into advanced prostate cancer clinical trials. All study materials were translated into Spanish, and a Spanish-speaking bilingual recruiter is one of two recruiters. This study will accrue 50 patients. Results: Thus far, a total of 224 cases were identified from 19 reporting facilities through e-path and 213 (92%) were sent invitation letters. We have initiated recruitment contact calls with N=101; of these, 11 were excluded due to physician-indicated contraindication, and 17 (17%) declined participation. To date, 12 patients have enrolled in the study, 10 of whom completed baseline surveys, and 4 subsequently completed follow-up surveys after using the online matching tool. The majority (N=7) of participants were NH White; of higher income, >$150,000 (N=6); and of higher education, >bachelor’s/associate degree (N=8). Nine participants indicated use of the internet to learn about prostate cancer and 4 found internet prostate-cancer related information very useful. Nine participants reported receipt of prostate cancer treatment in the past 3 months, 8 received hormonal therapy, 4 received radiation, and 2 received surgery. To assess research knowledge and attitudes, 7 indicated awareness of cancer clinical trials, 6 indicated interest in participating in clinical research, 7 held a positive and 3 held a neutral attitude towards cancer clinical trials, however 5 indicated that they would not participate in a randomized study. To assess utility of the matching tool, 2 indicated it increased their interest in participating in clinical trials. Discussion: As the study progresses, we will focus effort on recruitment of underserved patients. However, thus far, preliminary results indicate that e-path used in combination with an online clinical trial matching tool may serve as an important recruitment vehicle for prostate cancer clinical trials. Citation Format: Hala T Borno, Christine Duffy, Sylvia Zhang, Todd Golden, Zinnia Loya, Debby Oh, Anobel Odisho, Scarlett Lin Gomez. The REACT study: A feasibility study to develop and test the integration of a California Cancer Registry Early Case Ascertainment process via electronic pathology reporting with an online clinical trial matching tool [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr D067.

1253-P: Yields and Costs of Recruitment Methods with Participant Baseline Characteristics for a Diabetes Prevention Research Study in an Underserved Pediatric Population

Background: Diabetes disproportionately impacts Latino youth, yet few diabetes prevention programs (DPP) have prioritized inclusion of this vulnerable population. Recruitment is often the most challenging aspect of clinical trials and the optimal strategy to meet enrollment goals is unknown. This report describes the recruitment yields, costs, and baseline characteristics for a DPP focused on Latino youth. Methods: Recruitment methods included clinics, community efforts, media, and word-of-mouth with the goal of enrolling 120 Latino youth age 12-16 with obesity and prediabetes. Yields, costs, and baseline characteristics of youth were compared by recruitment method with final prediabetes eligibility determined by an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Results: Recruitment spanned 47 months and yielded 655 referrals from clinics (N=344), community efforts (N=143), media (N=137), and word-of-mouth (N=31). From this pool, 50% (N=325) declined participation and 14% (N=93) were ineligible by general inclusion criteria. A screening OGTT was performed on 237 youth with 52% (N=122) meeting prediabetes eligibility and 117 subsequently randomized. The clinical sites yielded the highest number of total referrals (53%, N=344/655) while word-of-mouth yielded the highest proportion (35%, N=11/31) of randomized participants per referral. There were no significant differences in anthropologic or diabetes risk biomarkers between recruitment sources. Community recruitment efforts were the most costly ($486/randomized participant) followed by media ($236/randomized participant) and clinic ($248/randomized participant). Conclusions: These data suggest that yields and costs to recruit Latino youth into a DPP vary by method, and there were no differences in youth diabetes risk profiles. Recruiting hard-to-reach populations into clinical trials requires multiple strategies to meet target enrollment. Disclosure K.B. Vander Wyst: None. M. Olson: None. E.G. Soltero: None. Y.P. Konopken: None. C. Keller: None. F. González Castro: None. A. Williams: None. A.D.R. Fernandez: None. E. Hooker: None. D.L. Patrick: None. S. Ayers: None. H.H. Hu: None. A. Pena: None. W.C. Knowler: None. G.Q. Shaibi: None. Funding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK10757901)

Developing a Society Journal Utilizing the Triad Framework

Developing a Society Journal Utilizing the Triad Framework

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and aerobic treadmill training after stroke: Feasibility of a controlled trial

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility and safety of a randomized controlled trial that performed cardiopulmonary exercise testing and 12 weeks of aerobic treadmill training in individuals in the chronic phase after stroke. Methods: The following data were recorded: number of individuals contacted to participate, that attended in the evaluation session, and that were included (recruited) in the study; retention, attendance and adherence rates; reasons for exclusion, withdrawal, non-attendance and non-completing exercise; adverse events. Results: From 230 individuals that were contacted, 39 (17%) attended the evaluation session and 22 (9.6%) were recruited in the study, 11 in each group (control and experimental). The main source of recruitment was other research projects (43.5%). The main reason for exclusion was unavailability (22%). Six out of 39 individuals (15.4%) that attended in the evaluation session were not able to perform the cardiopulmonary exercise testing. All subjects included showed a respiratory exchange ratio ≥1.0 (considered as maximal effort in the CPET). Retention rate was 81% and the main reason of withdrawal was unavailability (75%). The overall attendance rate was 88% and the main reason for non-attendance was illness/sickness (20.8%). The adherence rate was 99% and the reasons for non-completing sessions were illness/sickness (60%) or delay (40%). No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusion: Recruitment rate was low, retention rate was moderate, attendance and adherence rates were high. No serious adverse events occurred. It was feasible and safe to execute a randomized clinical trial that performed cardiopulmonary exercise testing and 12 weeks of aerobic treadmill training.

Is Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) a comparable recruitment source for trauma studies?

Trauma researchers have recently begun using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) as a data collection platform that is both time- and cost-efficient. Research is needed to determine the utility, generalizability, and validity of MTurk as a recruitment source for trauma-exposed samples. Data were collected from 266 trauma-exposed MTurk participants on several clinical and psychological constructs relevant to trauma research. The mean scores, prevalence rates, and correlation strengths of the MTurk sample were compared to those reported in previously published studies of undergraduate, community, and treatment-seeking samples. Findings indicated that prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression were not significantly different from comparison samples, but prevalence rates of generalized anxiety were significantly higher than that of a community sample. The MTurk sample showed significantly lower mean scores of PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety symptoms than all comparison samples. Correlations were examined to determine whether established relationships between common trauma-related constructs were correlated for MTurk participants as they were in other samples. Correlations between PTSD symptom severity, posttraumatic cognitions (PTCs), and trauma coping self-efficacy (CSE-T) in the MTurk sample were not significantly different from the correlations observed in all comparison samples. Finally, MTurk participants who met criteria for probable PTSD scored significantly higher on measures of depression, generalized anxiety, and PTCs, and lower on CSE-T, than those without probable PTSD. Future trauma researchers utilizing MTurk should consider potential similarities and differences between MTurk samples and community, clinical, and undergraduate samples when interpreting the generalizability of findings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Characteristics Associated with Trust in and Disclosure of Sexual Behavior to Primary Care Providers Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States.

Purpose: Characteristics associated with having a primary care provider (PCP), patient-provider trust, and sexual behavior disclosure were examined among men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: MSM (N = 4239) were surveyed regarding demographic, behavioral, and medical characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. Results: Among 86.3% of MSM with a PCP, characteristics associated with lower patient-provider trust included younger age, Asian, bisexual, HIV-negative-not-on-pre-exposure prophylaxis, HIV-unknown, and lower medical literacy; with nondisclosure: Asian, bisexual, straight, HIV-negative, HIV-unknown, fewer partners, recruitment source, lower medical literacy, and lower patient-provider trust. Conclusion: Medical literacy and patient-provider trust are promising points of intervention to improve health outcomes among MSM.

If You Host It Online, Who Will (and Will Not) Come? Individual and Partner Enrollment in a Web-Based Intervention for Distressed Couples.

Given the increasing utilization of online recruitment and delivery for prevention programming, the current study was designed to examine the ways in which recruitment and eligibility factors affect the resulting size and composition of participants in an online intervention. Study hypotheses were tested from a sample of 2512 low-income individuals who sought to enroll in OurRelationship, a web-based intervention for distressed couples. Results indicated that more than half of the sample (62%) learned about the OurRelationship program from results of an online search engine. Differences in participant characteristics were observed on the basis of recruitment source, with individuals recruited from an online search and from social media being characterized by higher levels of relationship distress and personal psychological distress relative to those who learned about the program through other means. Partner participation requirements also had a significant effect on the final sample of participants, as more than half of help-seeking individuals (52%) had partners who did not complete the screening enrollment form and were thus ineligible to receive services. Furthermore, compared with individuals whose partners completed the enrollment form, individuals whose partners did not participate were characterized by greater levels of break-up potential, physical aggression, communication conflict, psychological distress, and anger. Findings from the study suggest that some, but not all, online sources recruit more at-risk populations as well as illustrate the ways in which partner participation requirements can screen out interested individuals that appear in most need of services. Implications for prevention researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Challenges in recruiting and retaining adolescents with abuse-related posttraumatic stress disorder: lessons learned from a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundResearch on effective recruitment and retention strategies for adolescents and young adults suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder is scarce. The aim of the current study was to provide data on recruitment sources, barriers, and facilitators for participation in a randomized controlled trial for young individuals with histories of sexual and/or physical abuse.MethodsStudy participants aged 14 to 21 were asked to complete a checklist on individual sources of recruitment, barriers, and facilitators for participation in the trial. Fifty-three out of the 80 study participants who were contacted completed the checklist (66.3%).ResultsMost respondents reported multiple recruitment sources, with online and media advertising search strategies indicated most frequently (45.4% of all mentions), followed by practitioner-referred sources (38.7%). Respondents’ reported barriers included additional demands of the trial (60.3%), followed by distress caused by having to talk about painful topics (15.5%). The most frequently indicated facilitators were the organizational setting (55.1%) and monetary incentives (22.2%), followed by social support (12.0%) and non-monetary incentives (10.2%). No significant differences were observed between adolescent and young adult respondents with the exception that adolescents reported significantly more frequently that they had learned about the trial from their caregiver.ConclusionsOur findings permit the formulation of recommendations for planning and conducting trials with this clientele. Future research is needed on how specific barriers can be effectively overcome.

Application of social marketing to recruitment for a digital weight management intervention for young adults.

Recruiting young adults into weight loss interventions poses challenges that may be mitigated by the use of novel social marketing strategies. The purpose of this study is to describe how social marketing principles were applied to recruitment for a digitally delivered randomized controlled trial for weight management among young adults and report recruitment data and demographics on those who enrolled and did not enroll in the study. The marketing mix of the 7Ps (i.e., product, price, place, promotion, packaging, positioning, and people) was applied to intervention recruitment. Prior to enrollment, respondents completed a screening survey, which was examined to determine optimal strategies for study awareness and enrollment. Of the initial 5,731 who initiated a screener, 3,059 provided data on the source of where they heard about the study. Subsequently, 460 (12.5%) were enrolled in the study, 409 (51.3% non-White; 78.7% female; body mass index: 30.6 ± 4.3) provided data on recruitment source, with emails (72.5%), cited most often followed by flyers/posters (8.8%), "other" (6.7%), and multiple sources (6.6%). Although email remained the most frequently cited promotion source, Pearson's chi-squared tests revealed that, compared to those not enrolled in the study, those who enrolled were more likely to hear about the study via flyers/posters (enrolled = 14.4%; not enrolled = 7.9%; p < .001) and multiple sources (enrolled = 11.7%; not enrolled 5.85%; p < .01) and less likely to hear via email (enrolled = 62.1%; not enrolled = 74.2%; p < .01). This study applied social marketing principles to successfully recruit a large and diverse group of young adults. While email emerged as the most effective source of study awareness, multiple channels and a mix of marketing principles are recommended for recruiting in university settings.

Exploring Recruitment and Selection Practices of Ghanaian Organisations

Although Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) has emerged as the new approach to human capital management, operational level Human Resource Management (HRM) activities (traditional personnel functions) remain crucial when linking business strategy with HRM . This paper is inspired by the contribution of selection and recruitment practices in managing the global talent war, particularly in less developed economies. It is based on a multiple case-study research into employee recruitment and selection techniques within five case-study firms located in Tema, Kumasi and Accra. The paper draws on in-depth face-to-face interviews and documents to explore the various recruitment and selection practices utilised by Ghanaian firms. The findings suggest more commonalities in the utilisation of the following employee recruitment sources – for example, newspaper advertisement, campus recruitment, employee referrals, direct applications and unsolicited applications among all case-study organisations and a slight variation in the utilisation of selection techniques such as: psychometric testing or aptitude testing, the use of assessment centres and employee referrals due to differences in employees’ categories and industry types. Though internet-based recruitment is growing significantly among organisations, yet the evidence in this paper rather demonstrate limited growing visibility towards internet-based or social media recruitment among Ghanaian organisations. This paper set out a rationale for utilising multiple case-study design in Human Resource Management research in under-researched contexts. Keywords: recruitment sources, selection techniques, multiple case-study research, Ghana DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-12-02 Publication date: April 30 th 2020

CREATING AND MODIFYING THE GAME CONTENT BY PLAYERS AS AN ACT OF PROSUMERISM

Prosumption can be described as an involvement of customers in the process of production. Customers obtain certain benefits related to increasing the degree of customization of the product or service. On the other hand, prosumption minimizes the costs associated with the purchase and/or use of products by consumers by undertaking of certain activities traditionally performed by the company. The primary aim of this paper is to investigate the phenomenon of creating and modifying computer game content by players as an act of prosumerism. Player used a game as primary materials to create some game elements or even producing a completely new one. They make unpaid work on game modification, called by its practitioners as “game modding”. Game modding is a process of changing, adding or removing game code that alters the way the game is played. This process includes many different actions, such as creating characters, houses and gardens in The Sims, changing the appearance of the residents, creating virtual buildings and landscapes in Second Life. Players build their own virtual environment. Creators gather in modding communities in which they sharing created content, advice each other’s, cooperate with other creators. Cooperation facilitates some platforms like Steam, various online forums or video sharing sites like Youtube. Besides players, also companies can take advantages from users’ creativity. They obtain information’s about consumer preferences which can be used e.g. in advertising or future product design. The modding community is a valuable source of innovation and recruitment for the game industry. Game modds can expand period of time when the game is played and consecutively receive high sales revenue. Presented approach is based on literature review.

Determinants of job seekers to select recruitment agency for new job vacancies

The most important determinant of organizational effectiveness is the ability to attract, hire, and develop capable talent. The ability to attract and retain superior employees can lead to sustained competitive advantage for organizations. This is difficult due to the shrinking availability of qualified labor. The use of recruitment agency (RA) or employment agency allows human resource departments to target and identify quality candidates with more efficiency. RA, kind of consultancy, is normally understood as third party recruiter that finds jobs for people seeking them and finds people to fill particular jobs3 . Some RA focus their efforts on executive, managerial, and professional positions (white and yellow collar workers). These firms are split into two groups: (1) contingency firms that charge a fee only after a candidate has been hired by a client company and (2) retainer firms that charge a client a set fee whether or not the contracted search is successful. Most of RA in Vietnam apply contingency basis. Majority of foreign and big local companies use RA as one of the key recruitment sources to attract middle to senior level employees despite there is maybe higher expenses of this source than using other recruitment sources in some extents below: • The job vacancy is top confidential and recruiter cannot launch the public recruitment • The vacancy requires very short time to fill • The limited staffing resources of recruiting department or • The limited candidate pool in some industries or function which may cause very long time to fill the vacancy or to find out the right candidate.

Inhibitory Control Deficits in Individuals with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Meta-Analysis.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease that is characterized by impairments in episodic memory. Recent evidence has shown that inhibitory control is also impaired in aMCI. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to quantify inhibitory control ability in individuals with aMCI by examining performance across a range of well-defined inhibition paradigms that tapped into one of three inhibitory control subtypes (i) interference control (e.g., Stroop task), (ii) response inhibition (e.g., Go/Nogo task), or (iii) inhibition of cognitive sets (Wisconsin Card Sort Task). Reference databases (PsychINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science) were searched for studies comparing individuals with aMCI to healthy controls on behavioural measures of inhibition. Across 70 effect sizes involving 2184 adults with aMCI and 3049 controls, overall inhibition deficits of moderate magnitude (g = -0.73) were found among individuals with aMCI. Inhibition deficits were moderate in size regardless of inhibitory control subtype: interference control (g = -0.74), response inhibition (g = -0.71), inhibition of cognitive sets (g = -0.76). Subgroup analyses revealed that Stroop outcome measure (reaction time vs. accuracy) and recruitment source (clinical vs. community) moderated interference control deficits. Together these findings support a generalized inhibition deficit in aMCI, and suggest that inhibition tasks should be included routinely in neuropsychological test batteries to provide a more comprehensive overview of executive dysfunction in aMCI.

Predictors of participant ‘no-shows’ for intensive behavioral tobacco cessation treatment: recruitment, demographics, and distance

AbstractIntroductionCognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for tobacco cessation is an evidence-based, yet underutilized intervention. More research is needed to understand why some treatment-seekers are ‘no-shows’ for the initial visit.AimExamine factors associated with participant no-shows among smokers scheduled for group CBT.MethodsTobacco smokers (N = 115) were recruited from the community, screened, and if eligible, scheduled to begin group-based CBT plus nicotine replacement therapy. At the screening, participants reported their recruitment source, demographics, smoking history, and contact information. We computed the distance to the study site using the address provided. Regression analyses tested predictors of participant no-shows for the initial visit.ResultsEligible participants were mostly recruited via flyers (56%), female (58%), African American (61%), middle-aged (Mage = 49 years), averaged 16 cigarettes per day, and resided 8 miles away from the study site. The overall initial visit no-show rate was 56%. Bivariate analyses indicated that respondents who were recruited online, younger, and lived further away from the site were more likely to be no-shows. Younger age significantly predicted failure to attend in the multivariable model.ConclusionsFindings highlight potential barriers to participation in a group-based intervention, and have implications for pre-intervention engagement strategies and modifications that may increase reach and uptake.

REACT: A feasibility study to test the integration of a cancer registry early case ascertainment process via electronic pathology reporting with an online clinical trial matching tool.

207 Background: Representation of diverse patient populations in prostate cancer clinical trials is essential to ensure results are applicable to all men. However, underrepresentation among underserved populations remains a critical problem. Population-based cancer registries provide a potential platform to overcome problems with inclusion of diverse patient populations in clinical research when used as a source for recruitment. Methods: Leveraging statewide implementation of early-case ascertainment (ECA) via electronic pathology for cancer case identification, we performed a feasibility study within the Greater Bay Area Cancer Registry to (1) test a process using ECA to identify new cases of advanced prostate cancer for potential enrollment into clinical trials and (2) test the utility of an online clinical trial matching tool to improve matching of underrepresented patients into clinical trials. All study materials were translated into Spanish, and recruiters were Spanish-speaking. Results: A total of 419 cases were identified from 19 reporting facilities through ECA and sent invitation letters; 18 cases were excluded due to physician contraindication, and 68 (16%) declined participation. All enrolled participants (N=54) completed baseline surveys. To date, 40 participants completed follow-up surveys after using the online matching tool. Most participants were White (80%), of higher income (&gt;$150,000; 41%), and college-educated (70%). Thirty-seven percent indicated awareness of cancer clinical trials, 69% stated interest in participating in clinical research, and 72% held a positive attitude towards cancer clinical trials. However, 46% indicated they would not participate in a randomized study. To assess utility of the matching tool, 65% indicated it increased their interest in participating in a clinical trial. Conclusions: ECA needs to ensure sociodemographic data are available to make it useful as a tool for clinical trials. Preliminary results indicate ECA used in combination with an online clinical trial matching tool may serve as an important recruitment vehicle for prostate cancer clinical trials.