Examining the Efficacy of a Digital Media Intervention to Increase Recruitment Rates

WHEAT-Boost is a Study Within A Trial (SWAT) that aims to improve how families are recruited into neonatal research studies by testing a new way of sharing information. The study is embedded within the larger WHEAT International Trial, a randomized clinical trial being conducted in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) across Canada. The WHEAT International Trial investigates the best way to manage feeding around the time of blood transfusions in very premature infants (born before 30 weeks of pregnancy).

Recruiting families for research in the NICU is challenging. Parents are often stressed, overwhelmed, and unfamiliar with how clinical trials work, which can make it hard for them to process complex medical information and decide whether to take part. Traditional consent methods, such as paper forms, may not be enough to ensure families feel informed and comfortable with participation.

To address this, WHEAT-Boost will test whether adding a short, co-designed digital video helps improve recruitment rates. The video is 3.5 to 4 minutes long, available in English and French (with subtitles in other commonly spoken languages), and explains the importance of NICU research and details of the WHEAT International Trial in a simple and visual way. The video was co-developed with parents who have experience in the NICU to ensure the information is relevant and easy to understand.

NICU sites participating in the WHEAT Trial will be randomly assigned, in a stepped-wedge design schedule, to either continue using their usual recruitment methods, or to add the digital video to their recruitment approach. Parents in both groups will be asked to complete a short, voluntary questionnaire about their experience with the consent process and their understanding of the trial.

The main goal of WHEAT-Boost is to see if the video increases the number of families who agree to take part in the WHEAT Trial (known as the "opt-in rate"). The study will also look at whether the video reduces the number of families who later withdraw from the trial, and whether it improves parents' understanding of the study and their satisfaction with how information was shared.

If successful, the video could be used in other NICUs or future studies to help make research more accessible and inclusive for families. This approach could lead to stronger participation in neonatal trials, better-informed decisions by parents, and faster progress in improving care for premature babies.