@Article{info:doi/10.2196/23118,
author="Buck, Benjamin
and Chander, Ayesha
and Brian, Rachel M
and Wang, Weichen
and Campbell, Andrew T
and Ben-Zeev, Dror",
title="Expanding the Reach of Research: Quantitative Evaluation of a Web-Based Approach for Remote Recruitment of People Who Hear Voices",
journal="JMIR Form Res",
year="2021",
month="Jun",
day="3",
volume="5",
number="6",
pages="e23118",
keywords="digital health; research procedures; recruitment; mobile phone",
abstract="Background: Similar to other populations with highly stigmatized medical or psychiatric conditions, people who hear voices (ie, experience auditory verbal hallucinations [AVH]) are often difficult to identify and reach for research. Technology-assisted remote research strategies reduce barriers to research recruitment; however, few studies have reported on the efficiency and effectiveness of these approaches. Objective: This study introduces and evaluates the efficacy of technology-assisted remote research designed for people who experience AVH. Methods: Our group developed an integrated, automated and human complementary web-based recruitment and enrollment apparatus that incorporated Google Ads, web-based screening, identification verification, hybrid automation, and interaction with live staff. We examined the efficacy of that apparatus by examining the number of web-based advertisement impressions (ie, number of times the web-based advertisement was viewed); clicks on that advertisement; engagement with web-based research materials; and the extent to which it succeeded in representing a broad sample of individuals with AVH, assessed through the self-reported AVH symptom severity and demographic representativeness (relative to the US population) of the sample recruited. Results: Over an 18-month period, our Google Ads advertisement was viewed 872,496 times and clicked on 11,183 times. A total amount of US {\$}4429.25 was spent on Google Ads, resulting in 772 individuals who experience AVH providing consent to participate in an entirely remote research study (US {\$}0.40 per click on the advertisement and US {\$}5.73 per consented participant) after verifying their phone number, passing a competency screening questionnaire, and providing consent. These participants reported high levels of AVH frequency (666/756, 88.1{\%} daily or more), distress (689/755, 91.3{\%}), and functional interference (697/755, 92.4{\%}). They also represented a broad sample of diversity that mirrored the US population demographics. Approximately one-third (264/756, 34.9{\%}) of the participants had never received treatment for their AVH and, therefore, were unlikely to be identified via traditional clinic-based research recruitment strategies. Conclusions: Web-based procedures allow for time saving, cost-efficient, and representative recruitment of individuals with AVH and can serve as a model for future studies focusing on hard-to-reach populations. ",
issn="2561-326X",
doi="10.2196/23118",
url="https://formative.jmir.org/2021/6/e23118",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/23118",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34081011"
}