Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40390625›Full record

ArticleJournal of empirical research on human research ethics : JERHRE2025

Recruitment Techniques Used for Clinical Trials and the Potential Impact of Nudges: Qualitative Interview Study with Recruiters.

Molly Volkmar, Jewels Watts, Lauren Kaiser-Jackson, Ben Schwan, Cathy Wolfsfeld, Eric Kodish, Aaron J Goldenberg, Jessica Berg, Erin Rothwell, Maxwell Mehlman and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of empirical research on human research ethics : JERHRE, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Molly VolkmarHuntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-9660-3849
Jewels WattsCase Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-8102-3142
Lauren Kaiser-JacksonHuntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Ben SchwanCase Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Cathy WolfsfeldHuntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Eric KodishCase Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Aaron J GoldenbergCase Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Jessica BergSchool of Law, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Erin RothwellDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Maxwell MehlmanSchool of Law, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Kimberly KaphingstDepartment of Communication and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Funding

Using Nudges to Recruit Human Subjects in Clinical & Translational ResearchR01TR004245 · NCATS · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · PI KAPHINGST, KIMBERLY A, MEHLMAN, MAXWELL J · 2022 to 2025
$1.6M
NCATS NIH HHS R01 TR004245
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

While clinical trials are essential to improving public health, little research has examined the range of recruitment techniques used or whether they involve behavioral nudges. Behavioral nudges have been defined as "any aspect of the choice architecture [the manner in which options are presented] that alters people's behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives"; these may influence individuals' autonomy in deciding to participate. To investigate, the study team conducted 39 semi-structured interviews with clinical trial recruiters at two academic medical centers, asking about their recruitment techniques and any perceived ethical concerns. Through inductive qualitative analysis, five main themes emerged: impact of relationships (among recruiters, healthcare teams, and participants), financial compensation, community benefit, study risks and benefits, and personalized study information. The study then assessed whether these techniques were seen as nudges and explored their ethical implications for informed decision-making.

Indexed as

Choice BehaviorClinical Trials as TopicDecision MakingPatient SelectionAcademic Medical CentersAdultFemaleHumansInformed ConsentInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedMotivationQualitative ResearchResearch Subjectsclinical trial recruitmentinformed consentnudgesqualitative researchrecruitment techniques

Identifiers

PMID40390625
PMCPMC12453566

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.