RCTs rely on effective recruitment and retention for successful completion. The aim of this research was to explore the ways in which young peoples’ parents’ and health professionals’ perceptions of RCT treatments influenced recruitment and continued participation in paediatric RCTs.

CACH Team: Lucy Beasant

Potential trial participants’ preference for a treatment can affect recruitment, post randomisation drop-out and adherence to an RCT intervention. Communication of trial information in paediatric trial settings is complex, and it needs to consider the perspectives of young people and their parent’s. This research drew on qualitative research techniques to investigate how treatment preference influenced recruitment and participation in four paediatric RCTs. Audio-recorded recruitment consultations, interviews, and recruiter training were used to explore the treatment preferences of young people, their parents, and to discuss issues of equipoise with recruiting health professionals.

The research was conducted by Lucy Beasant within the Centre for Academic Child Health. Her supervisors were Professor Esther Crawley, Professor Bridget Young (University of Liverpool) and Dr Nicola Mills. The PhD was undertaken with the support of the Medical Research Council (MRC) ConDuCT-II Hub (Collaboration and innovation for Difficult and Complex randomised controlled Trials In Invasive procedures - MR/K025643/1).