Information for researchers

StepUp for Ageing Research is a free service designed specifically to help you, as a researcher, meet your recruitment targets. The service aims to increase the number of people participating in research into ageing and aged care, and to make it easier, more cost effective and quicker for researchers to identify suitable study participants, broadening access to research participation.

For many researchers, recruiting participants for dementia-related studies is costly and time consuming. A 2014 study conducted by Clinical Trials Connect found that just 1 in 5 clinical trials in Australia met their recruitment deadlines. A 2009 study by the Pharmaceutical Industry Council (PIC) found that nine in ten industry-sponsored trials failed to meet their recruitment targets.

Delays in finding the right people can result in studies taking longer to deliver, often requiring funding extensions. Insufficient study samples limit the effectiveness and scope of research – the difficulty researchers face when it comes to recruiting participants directly impacts their capacity for robust analysis and the generalisation of findings.

StepUp for Research is the first systematic way in Australia for people with dementia and their carers as well as older people to register their interest in research participation and then be matched with relevant studies. It places the value and potential of people with dementia and older people at the centre of the solution.

Registered researchers will be able to:

1. Identify potential participants
2. Screen and contact volunteers

 

Six steps* to recruit study participants through StepUp for Ageing Research

Please give back.

StepUp for Research is the only freely available research participation matching program in Australia designed to help researchers such as yourself but is dependent on registered volunteers. Effective recruitment requires continued improvement in volunteer numbers, and we believe you can help us. Please simply distribute this flyer, with a short message provided below, to participants in your studies. This can be done at the end of your project so that it poses no interruptions to your study. Thank you for your support.

Short message to be provided to participants at the end of data collection:

“Thank you so much for taking part in this study. Research is important to find new ways to improve the health and wellbeing of older Australians. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved in other studies on ageing and/or dementia, you can visit these websites: https://www.stepupfordementiaresearch.org.au/ and https://www.stepupforageingresearch.org.au/

We have also attached a flyer for your information. Please feel free to share these with your friends, family or anyone you know who would be interested.”

Short message to be provided to participants at the end of survey collection:

“Thanks so much for taking part in this study. Research is important to find new ways to improve the health and wellbeing of older Australians. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved in other studies on ageing and/or dementia, you can visit these websites: https://www.stepupfordementiaresearch.org.au/ and https://www.stepupforageingresearch.org.au/ 

Please feel free to share these with your friends, family or anyone you know who would be interested.”