Participant recruitment for qualitative research: A site-based approach tocommunity research in complex societies

The process used to locate and recruit participants in a qualitative study is important for controlling bias and for efficiently obtaining a represent ative sample. In complex societies without clearly bounded groups from whic h to sample, participant recruitment requires especially careful considerat ion. Yet few qualitative researchers discuss their recruitment methods. Thi s paper describes a site-based procedure for locating, selecting, and recru iting participants for qualitative research for community-based research in contemporary societies. An example of this procedure applied in a study of nutrition and health among older adults of two rural counties in North Car olina is presented. Additional uses for this procedure are discussed.