FACTORS INFLUENCING PATIENT RECRUITMENT INTO HEALTHCARE RESEARCH: A QUALITATIVE NARRATIVE REVIEW

Research is essential to understanding and addressing complex health challenges. Healthcare institutions play a critical role in advancing inclusive research strategies that enable effective patient recruitment. Despite this, patient engagement in research remains persistently low and often fails to reflect the diversity of the populations served. Inadequate recruitment is a long-standing challenge and a leading cause of study failure or early discontinuation, resulting in underpowered studies, inconclusive findings, and unanswered research questions. Gaining a deeper understanding of the factors influencing patients’ willingness to participate in research is therefore essential for healthcare institutions, policymakers, and researchers seeking to design more effective and equitable recruitment strategies. A narrative review of the literature was undertaken which aimed to explore the factors that influence patient recruitment and participation in research studies within healthcare settings. Eleven articles were analysed revealing four key themes influencing patient recruitment: (1) altruistic intent, (2) adaptive research strategies for patient recruitment, (3) the importance of strengthening communication strategies in research, and (4) the civic duty of healthcare organisations. These themes highlight the interplay between individual and organisational influences on patients’ decisions to engage in research. The findings indicate that a paradigm shift is required, moving beyond the repeated identification of barriers and facilitators affecting research participation towards the development, implementation, and evaluation of targeted, evidence-based strategies that promote equitable and inclusive patient participation in research.