Review Audio-visual recording of patient–GP consultations for research purposes: A literature review on recruiting rates and strategies Markus Themessl-Huber a, * , Gerry Humphris b , Jon Dowell c , Steve Macgillivray d , Rosemary Rushmer e , Brian Williams f a School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Dundee, 11 Airlie Place, Dundee DD1 4HJ, UK b Bute Medical School, University of St. Andrews, UK c Community Health Sciences, University of Dundee, UK d Tayside Institute for Health Studies, University of Abertay, UK e Department of Management, University of Dundee, UK f Social Dimensions of Health Institute, University of Dundee, UK Received 15 May 2007; received in revised form 16 January 2008; accepted 17 January 2008 Abstract Objective: To identify ethical processes and recruitment strategies, participation rates of studies using audio or video recording of primary health care consultations for research purposes, and the effect of recording on the behaviour, attitudes and feelings of participants. Methods: A structured literature review using Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Psychinfo. This was followed by extensive hand search. Results: Recording consultations were regarded as ethically acceptable with some additional safeguards recommended. A range of sampling and recruitment strategies were identified although specific detail was often lacking. Non-participation rates in audio-recording studies ranged from 3 to 83% for patients and 7 to 84% for GPs; in video-recording studies they ranged from 0 to 83% for patients and 0 to 93% for GPs. There was little evidence to suggest that recording significantly affects patient or practitioner behaviour. Conclusions: Research involving audio or video recording of consultations is both feasible and acceptable. More detailed reporting of the methodical characteristics of recruitment in the published literature is needed. Practice implications: Researchers should consider the impact of diverse sampling and recruitment strategies on participation levels. Participants should be informed that there is little evidence that recording consultations negatively affects their content or the decisions made. Researchers should increase reporting of ethical and recruitment processes in order to facilitate future reviews and meta-analyses. # 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Recruitment; Audio recording; Video recording; Consultations; Ethics; General practice Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................. 158 2. Methods .................................................................................... 158 3. Results ..................................................................................... 159 3.1. Ethical issues surrounding the recording of consultations ............................................. 159 3.2. Aspects influencing recruitment rates and strategies for patients ......................................... 159 3.3. Aspects influencing recruitment rates and strategies for GPs ........................................... 161 3.4. Effects of recording on the behaviour and consultation experience of patients and GPs ........................ 163 3.5. Effects of recording on patient behaviour, attitudes and feelings ........................................ 163 3.6. Effects of recording on GP behaviour, attitudes and feelings ........................................... 163 4. Discussion and conclusion ....................................................................... 163 4.1. Discussion .............................................................................. 163 www.elsevier.com/locate/pateducou Patient Education and Counseling 71 (2008) 157–168 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1382 388526; fax: +44 1382 388533. E-mail address: m.themesslhuber@dundee.ac.uk (M. Themessl-Huber). 0738-3991/$ – see front matter # 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2008.01.015