Background
The FIT-AD Trial tested the effects of a six-month individualized cycling intervention on cognition and hippocampal volume in community-dwelling older adults with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers used 10 recruitment strategies and a four-step screening process during a 48-month recruiting period.
Findings
A multipronged community outreach strategy was essential for recruiting older adults with Alzheimer’s into a single-site trial. On average, three individuals were screened for every enrolled participant, with referrals as the most cost-effective method.
Citation
Greimel S, Wyman JF, Zhang L, Yu F. Recruitment and Screening Methods in Alzheimer’s Disease Research: The FIT-AD Trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2022 Mar 3;77(3):547-553. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glab092.
The study is available at The Journals of Gerontology.
*Content last updated September 2026
