Strategies for retaining study participants in behavioral intervention trials: Retention experiences of the nih behavior change consortium

Abstract

Failing to retain an adequate number of study participants in behavioral intervention trials poses a threat to interpretation of study results and its external validity. This qualitative investigation describes the retention strategies promoted by the recruitment and retention committee of the Behavior Change Consortium, a group of 15 university-based sites funded by the National Institutes of Health to implement studies targeted toward disease prevention through behavior change. During biannual meetings, focus groups were conducted with all sites to determine barriers encountered in retaining study participants and strategies employed to address these barriers. All of the retention strategies reported were combined into 8 thematic retention categories. Those categories perceived to be most effective for retaining study participants were summarized and consistencies noted among site populations across the life course (e.g., older adults, adults, children, and adolescents). Further, possible discrepancies between site populations of varying health statuses are discussed, and an ecological framework is proposed for use in future investigations on retention.

Systematic review identifies number of strategies important for retaining study participants

“…Their four categories included some but not all of the same themes we identified: enrolment, consent and baseline activities; bonding; frequency of contact; staff characteristics; and incentives. Coday et al (2005) used principles of Social Cognitive Theory to identify 8 retention categories from the 61 strategies elicited from study staff [5]. Some of the retention themes are very similar to those identified in our review.…”

“…similarly drew on their own experiences to outline approaches to promote retention including screening out those likely to not remain in the study and early identification and tracking of study participants who are poor or non-adherers [4]. Coday et al (2005) collected lessons learned from 14 NIH-funded behavioral change trials [5]. They elicited perceived barriers to participant retention and 61 retention strategies from the project staff and investigators from these trials.…”

Recommendations for Recruiting and Retaining Adolescent Girls in Chronic Exercise (Training) Research Studies

“…Maximising the opportunities available for participants to attend study visits would ease scheduling around existing commitments. This recommendation identifies with offering tangible support and a flexible approach suggested by Coday et al [12]. Allowing flexibility also lends itself to affording participants a degree of ownership.…”

“…Comprehensive accounts of retention problems and strategies to overcome these in longitudinal behavioural interventions have been detailed previously [12,13]. However, the majority of the participants in these studies were adults, in which responses to various barriers might differ to those of adolescents.…”

“…However, the majority of the participants in these studies were adults, in which responses to various barriers might differ to those of adolescents. Exploring the attitudes of the target group and the incorporation of their views and preferences when developing complex interventions is of great importance [12,[14][15][16]. Correlates of adolescents' physical activity have been studied previously and used to improve physical activity interventions [17,18].…”