Helping the voices of people with pancreatic cancer to be heard: a mixed media methodology to optimise recruitment for an international survey of pancreatic enzyme replacement

Abstract

Abstract Background: Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare and aggressive, with digestion and malabsorption issues often leading to significant weight loss. Recruitment of people with this malignancy into studies can be challenging and innovative methods need to be explored to improve recruitment rates. Objective: To describe a mixed media methodology and the outcomes utilised to recruit patients to participate in a survey in a binational survey. Setting: people with pancreatic cancer residing in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia Methods: The details of the mixed media method utilised to identify and recruit people with pancreatic cancer are described. This method was used to investigate pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy use in people with pancreatic cancer across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Results: The mixed media approach was successful in reaching 334 participants from a range of ethnicities and regions, representative of people with pancreatic cancer. Results showed that social media platforms were notably more efficient and cost-effective than radio and newspaper, but required additional expertise, including graphic design and media strategy knowledge. Conclusions: Social media is an effective and efficient method of recruiting people with pancreatic cancer to a national survey. Studies utilising media to recruit patients may need to include team members with a range of skills.