Which recruitment strategy worked best for a walking program for adults with arthritis?

Recruiting adults with arthritis for walking programs can be difficult because many people have joint pain or mobility limits. A study specifically designed to compare different ways to find participants found that social media worked best overall. Facebook generated the highest number of new participants, while radio ads were particularly effective for Black and lower-income groups.

What the research says

In a clinical trial of the Walk With Ease program, researchers compared several methods to find participants. The study found that Facebook was the top strategy, yielding 32% of the enrolled participants. Radio advertisements came in second with 24%, followed by word of mouth at 13% and community events at 10% ¹.

The researchers also looked at how these methods worked for different groups of people. They found that radio advertisements were the best way to reach Black participants and those with lower incomes. For these groups, radio ads accounted for 39% and 28% of participants, respectively ¹.

Other sources confirm that arthritis affects millions of adults in the United States, making recruitment a significant challenge for public health programs ²⁵. While the Walk With Ease program has been adapted for use in the UK and other settings, the specific recruitment data comes from the US trial ⁹.

What to ask your doctor

• What recruitment methods have worked best for arthritis walking programs in my area?
• Are there local radio stations or community groups that might help me join a walking program?
• Can we try to reach out to support groups or social media pages for arthritis patients?
• Is there a specific time of year, like Arthritis Awareness Month, when programs are more active?