10,000 research participants recruited through Join Dementia Research – Could it help your study?

Stats released yesterday, show that over 10,000 study participants have been involved in vital dementia research thanks to the innovative Join Dementia Research service from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).

This fantastic news comes in the wake of new guidance released by NICE in June 2018. This guidance encouraged health and care professionals to inform people with dementia how they can get involved in research studies.

The figures mark an important milestone for Join Dementia Research. Launched back in February 2015 in response to the then Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, the success from the last three years can be seen by participants and researchers alike:

Dr Parveen is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Dementia Studies in Bradford and Principal Investigator, lead the Caregiving Hope study. This study involved two groups: family carers of people with dementia, and volunteers who had not yet become a carer for a relative. Each group was asked to complete a survey, exploring feelings of obligation, preparedness and willingness to care, and the wellbeing of those already in a carer role. For part of the study 170 participants were needed to complete the questionnaire, but within 36 hours of Dr Parveen opening the study in December 2017 more than 600 people had expressed an interest. Thanks to this overwhelming response on Join Dementia Research, 1,100 ultimately took part – well over the original target.

“This tremendous response to our study could not have been achieved without Join Dementia Research and the people willing to give up their time and take part. Only with research can we take steps forward in the fight against dementia, but that research can only happen with willing volunteers.”

Join Dementia Research has over 35,000 volunteers from across the UK, people of all ages, including people both with and without dementia. Those volunteers have registered specifically to take part in studies of all kinds, looking at prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Over 30% of the studies using the service is student led research.

If you are an Early Career Researcher, with an ethically approved dementia study, Join Dementia Research can help you recruit, and it’s free! To find out how the service can help you, click the link below: