Comparison of characteristics and outcomes by initial study contact (website versus staff) for participants enrolled in a weight management study

Abstract

Background Traditional recruitment methods for clinical trials, such as telephone, mail, and print-media, are often inefficient, costly and use large amounts of staff time and resources. Purpose This analysis was conducted to determine whether retention, demographics, and outcomes differed between enrolled participants who responded to recruitment outreach using an Internet-based information and registration system and enrollees whose first contact was with study staff via telephone. Methods We identified potentially eligible participants from Kaiser Permanente Northwest databases and mailed brochures inviting them to participate in the Life weight-loss maintenance study. We also used employee newsletters, a member-directed website, and messages to employee email distribution lists to publicize the study. All outreach methods contained both a website address and a telephone number through which respondents could register for an information session. The website contained the same information as was provided by staff over the telephone. Results Out of 2122 potential participants who expressed interest in the study, 70% did so through the website. There was no difference in retention rates between enrollees who initiated contact through the website (WEB = 308) and enrollees who contacted the study by telephone (Staff = 161). The WEB group was younger (p = 0.01), had higher income (p = 0.01) and education (p < 0.01) levels, and lower body mass index (p < 0.01). There was a trend toward greater weight loss in the WEB group (p = 0.06). Limitations We did not conduct a formal cost analysis of the two methods. Also, the population for this analysis was mostly Caucasian and middle income; thus, we cannot draw conclusions about the generalizability of our findings to more racially and economically diverse populations. Conclusion Enrolled participants who used a website to register for an initial study information session had similar study retention and outcome performance as enrollees who used a more traditional telephone method. For larger clinical trials, a website may help researchers more efficiently and cost-effectively achieve recruitment, eligibility, and randomization goals. More research is needed to determine whether similar recruitment and retention patterns are observed among racially and economically diverse populations when these and similar methods are compared.

Impact of Baseline Assessment Modality on Enrollment and Retention in a Facebook Smoking Cessation Study

“…Overall retention at 30 days in our study was 44%, similar to previous literature on web-based randomized trials [ 8 ] and cohort studies [ 30 ] but lower than reported in other web-based cessation studies with longer follow-up periods [ 13 , 31 ]. The equivalent retention rates in the web and phone arms are consistent with findings reported in a weight management study [ 32 ]. Our enrollment costs were also in line with recent studies recruiting via Facebook ads [ 26 , 27 ].…”

Assessment of Response Consistency and Respective Participant Profiles in the Internet-based NutriNet-Sante Cohort

“…The feasibility and effectiveness of Internet-based epidemiologic research are becoming evident, especially as regards the recruitment of very large, diverse, geographically dispersed, and hard-to-reach populations (low socioeconomic strata, risky behavior profiles), the ability to incorporate novel exposure assessment tools ( physical activity, dietary behavior) which capitalize on state-of-the-art automated computer technology (1), and the rapidly expanding access to the Internet across social strata (2,3). Such research has demonstrated both logistic advantages (cost-effectiveness, convenience regarding place/time of survey completion, ease of converting data to an analyzable format) and scientific advantages (improved quality and quantity of exposure measurement, complex research designs, study of sensitive topics or rare conditions) over traditional methods (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). Nonetheless, despite some evidence of the validity of epidemiologic data obtained online (7), of data concordance between Internetbased and paper-and-pencil versions of the same instruments (10,11), and of high Internet data test-retest reliability (10), some authors caution that deliberate falsification, misrepresentation, and inadvertent or duplicate entries might be common issues in Web-based research (9).…”

Characterizing participants who respond to text, email, phone calls, or postcards in a SARS-CoV-2 prevalence study

“…Postcards are also effective in long term studies in assuring participant retention (10,11,12). Telephoning potential participants is most effective with slightly older populations because direct interaction may be favored over other electronic means by some (13). However, many potential participants lack telephones or may use caller ID to block unsolicited calls resulting in lower response rates and/or nonresponse bias (14).…”