GP Participation and Recruitment of Patients to RCTs: Lessons from Trials of Acupuncture and Exercise for Low Back Pain in Primary Care

Table 2

Practice characteristics of the 8 most successful recruiting practices.

GP practice	Characteristics of practices identified as enhancing recruitment of patients	Exercise trial (Patients recruited)	Acupuncture trial (Patients recruited)	Total recruited (both trials)
A	Special interest in back pain and Computerised referrals to Exercise trial	83	29	111
B	Personally known to researchers	26	49	75
C	Special interest in back pain	—	39	39
	BMAS* member
D	Acupuncture trial GP advisor	8	28	30
E	Special interest in back pain	—	25	25
F	BMAS* member	9	13	22
G	Special interest in back pain	10	—	10
H	Special interest in back pain	10	—	10
Total	—	146	183

*British Medical Acupuncture Society.