Web-based tracking methods in longitudinal studies

Williams, Izaak L.; O’Donnell, Clifford R.

doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2014.04.001

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Using social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn may improve office-based tracking for YPs since, while many young people are transient in terms of their address, they tend to have a more consistent social media presence. Although online resources [ 32 ], and more specifically social networks [ 33 , 34 ], have already been used for tracing participants in longitudinal studies with relatively successful results, there are acceptability issues to consider here as there is no history of ALSPAC contacting participants in this way.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A randomised controlled trial comparing opt-in and opt-out home visits for tracing lost participants in a prospective birth cohort study

Bray

Noble

Boyd

et al. 2015

BMC Med Res Methodol

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BackgroundAttrition is an important problem in cohort studies. Tracing cohort members who have moved or otherwise lost contact with the study is vital. There is some debate about the acceptability and relative effectiveness of opt-in versus opt-out methods of contacting cohort members to re-engage them in this context. We conducted a randomised controlled trial to compare the two approaches in terms of effectiveness (tracing to confirm address and consenting to continue in the study), cost-effectiveness and acceptability.MethodsParticipants in this trial were individuals (young people and mothers) recruited to the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), who had not engaged with the study in the previous 5 years and for whom mail had been returned from their last known address. The sampling frame was restricted to those for whom database searching led to a potential new address being found in the Bristol area. 300 participants were randomly selected and assigned using stratified randomisation to the opt-in or opt-out arm. A tailored letter was sent to the potential new address, either asking participants to opt in to a home visit, or giving them the option to opt out of a home visit. Fieldworkers from Ipsos MORI conducted home visits to confirm address details.ResultsThe proportion who were traced was higher in the opt-out arm (77/150 = 51 %) than the opt-in arm (6/150 = 4 %), as was the proportion who consented to continue in ALSPAC (46/150 = 31 % v 4/150 = 3 %). The mean cost per participant was £8.14 in the opt-in arm and £71.93 in the opt-out arm. There was no evidence of a difference in acceptability between the opt-in and opt-out approaches.ConclusionSince the opt-in approach yielded very low response rates, and there were no differences in terms of acceptability, we conclude that the opt-out approach is the most effective method of tracing disengaged study members. The gains made in contacting participants must be weighed against the increase in cost using this methodology.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12874-015-0041-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A randomised controlled trial comparing opt-in and opt-out home visits for tracing lost participants in a prospective birth cohort study

Bray

Noble

Boyd

et al. 2015

BMC Med Res Methodol

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“…Review of the literature indicates that one of the most important strategies for tracking mobile participants is to search for their new contact information using various tools. Several peer-reviewed studies provide good summaries on tracking strategies (Haggerty et al, 2008;Hampson et al, 2001;Williams & O'Donnell, 2014). In this digital age, a great deal of information can be obtained online.…”

Section: Strategies For Tracking Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses on participant tracking and retention strategies have been published in health fields (Abshire et al, 2017;Robinson et al, 2007;Robinson et al, 2015;Teague et al, 2018). Tracking and retention strategies in longitudinal studies were discussed in social science venues (Clarridge, Sheehy, & Hauser, 1978;Coen, Patrick, & Shern, 1996;Cotter et al, 2002;Cotter, Burke, Stouthamer-Loeber, & Loeber, 2005;Cottler, Compton, Ben-Abdallah, Horne, & Claverie, 1996;Haggerty et al, 2008;Hampson et al, 2001;Lyons et al, 2004;Navratil, Green, Loeber, & Lahey, 1994;Prinz et al, 2001;Ribisl et al, 1996), but only a few studies have been published in the last decade -a period of significant social and technological changes (Baxter et al, 2012;Flores et al, 2017;Hanna, Scott, & Schmidt, 2014;Williams & O'Donnell, 2014). Unfortunately, the data collection processes outlined in these extant papers have received little attention in the broader scientific literature.…”

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confidence: 99%

Thirty years later: Locating and interviewing participants of the Chicago Longitudinal Study

Mondi

Yoo

et al. 2020

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

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Retaining study participants over time is essential for longitudinal studies to prevent selection bias and to achieve their long-term goals. The present paper examines the extent to which participants can be retained in a 30-year longitudinal study when a multi-pronged approach is employed. The paper specifically describes the approach that was used to locate and interview participants of the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), three decades after the study began. The CLS is a prospective cohort investigation that examines the effects of the Child-Parent Center (CPC) program, a schoolbased intervention for low-income children from preschool through 3 rd grade. The original CLS sample included a complete cohort of 1,539 children who were born in low-income areas in 1979-1980 and attended kindergarten in 1985-1986 at Chicago Public Schools. The CLS conducted a follow-up survey when participants were approximately age 35. After relatively slow initial progress, CLS researchers developed a comprehensive strategy to locate and interview participants, including: (a) adoption of detailed, manualized tracking protocol, (b) utilization of multiple search platforms, ranging from public search engines to social media, (c) assistance from state correctional facilities, and (d) neighborhood canvassing and in-person interviews. This tracking and interview process facilitated 735 completed interviews within 27 months, compared to 370 completed interviews in the 32 months prior to the launch of the comprehensive tracking protocol. Altogether, 1,105 interviews were conducted, representing an effective completion rate of 76.5%. Recommendations for strengthening response rates in other longitudinal studies are discussed.

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“…Access to some sites, such as the Social Security Death Index, requires date of birth and use of the participant’s social security number, and also require a fee. Several studies have closely tracked their experiences with these various databases and methods, and compiled useful recommendations for ways to maximize their application [ 36 , 41 , 42 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technological aids for improving longitudinal research on substance use disorders

Farabee

Schulte

Gonzales

et al. 2016

BMC Health Serv Res

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BackgroundThere is a broad consensus that addictive behaviors tend to be chronic and relapsing. But for field studies of substance users, successfully tracking, locating, and following up with a representative sample of subjects is a challenge.MethodsThe purpose of this paper is to provide a general overview of how current technological aids can support and improve the quality of longitudinal research on substance use disorders. The review is grouped into four domains: (1) tracking and locating, (2) prompting/engaging, (3) incentivizing, and (4) collecting data.Results & conclusionsAlthough the technologies described in this review will be modified or replaced over time, our findings suggest that incorporating some or all of these currently available approaches may improve research efficiency, follow-up rates, and data quality.

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Web-based tracking methods in longitudinal studies

Cited by 9 publications

References 28 publications

A randomised controlled trial comparing opt-in and opt-out home visits for tracing lost participants in a prospective birth cohort study

A randomised controlled trial comparing opt-in and opt-out home visits for tracing lost participants in a prospective birth cohort study

Thirty years later: Locating and interviewing participants of the Chicago Longitudinal Study

Technological aids for improving longitudinal research on substance use disorders

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