Clinical research relies heavily on efficient participant recruitment, yet clear data on which digital outreach strategies work best remains limited. In a recent analysis from the RESILIENCE study, CVC faculty member and recent DCRI fellow Dr. Pishoy Gouda, along with his co-authors, sought to address this gap by evaluating how communication platforms and message framing impact participant interest.
Using electronic health records from the Duke University Health System, researchers identified over 15,000 potential adult participants. Participants were randomly assigned to receive an invitation through either standard email or a secure patient portal. Invitations were further randomized by message content, using either an altruistic focus (appealing to the public good) or an individualistic focus (highlighting personal benefits). Engagement was tracked by whether individuals clicked the provided link to visit the study website within six months.
Overall, 7.9% of contacted individuals clicked through to the study website, though how they were reached made a considerable difference. Email invitations generated almost twice the response rate of patient portal messages (9.9% vs. 5.9%), while message wording made little difference overall. Age and clinical characteristics added further nuance: those under 60 responded better to altruistic messaging, while email’s advantage was strongest among those over 60 and individuals with obesity.
Ultimately, these findings suggest that where a recruitment invite is sent matters far more than what it says when driving initial trial interest. Clinical researchers can optimize recruitment by prioritizing email outreach while thoughtfully tailoring message styles to the demographic characteristics of their target population.
