TECHNIQUES FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH QUADRIPLEGIC ADULTS RESIDING IN THE COMMUNITY

Conducting research with difficult-to-access populations presents unique challenges, but at the same time provides valuable knowledge and insight into the special health care needs of the people within the population. This article presents a discussion of techniques for recruitment of subjects and collection of data from people with quadriplegia. Strategies for increasing subject numbers and for designing research tools specific for this population are discussed, as are considerations for enhancing the effectiveness of group meetings. The strategies included in this article may also be useful when conducting research with other populations who are difficult to access or who have motor or sensory deficits.