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. 2020 May 24;20(1):127.
doi: 10.1186/s12874-020-00996-y.

Re-engaging an inactive cohort of young adults: evaluating recruitment for the Kidskin Young Adult Myopia Study

Gareth Lingham  1 , David A Mackey  2 , Nicola Seed  2 , Lisa Ryan  2 , Elizabeth Milne  3 , Robyn M Lucas  2   4 , Maria Franchina  2 , Samantha Sze-Yee Lee  2 , Seyhan Yazar  2   5
Affiliations

Re-engaging an inactive cohort of young adults: evaluating recruitment for the Kidskin Young Adult Myopia Study

Gareth Lingham et al. BMC Med Res Methodol. .

Abstract

Background: Recent changes in communication technologies, including increased reliance on mobile phones and the internet, may present challenges and/or opportunities to re-engaging inactive study cohorts. We evaluate our ability to recruit participants for the Kidskin Young Adult Myopia Study (KYAMS), a follow-up of the Kidskin Study.

Methods: KYAMS participants were recruited from the Kidskin Study, a sun exposure-intervention study for 5-6 year-olds running from 1995 to 1999 with most recent follow-up in 2005. From 2015 to 2019, the KYAMS used mail-outs, phone calls and social media to contact Kidskin Study participants. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with successful contact of a Kidskin Study participant or family member and KYAMS participation.

Results: Of 1695 eligible participants, 599 (35.5%) participants (or a family member) were contacted and 303 (17.9%) participated in the KYAMS. KYAMS participation was more likely in those who participated in the 2005 follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 5.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.67-7.06) and had a mobile phone number on record (OR = 2.25, CI: 1.57-3.23). Of those contacted, participants who were the first point of contact (OR = 4.84, CI: 2.89-8.10) and who were contacted by letter in the first (OR = 6.53, CI: 3.35-12.75) or second (OR = 5.77, CI: 2.85-11.67) round were more likely to participate in the KYAMS, compared to contact by landline phone.

Conclusions: We recruited approximately one-fifth of Kidskin Study participants for the KYAMS. Participants were more likely to participate in the KYAMS if they were contacted directly, rather than through a family member, and if they were contacted by invitation letter.

Trial registration: ACTRN12617000812392.

Keywords: Cohort; Recruitment; Retention; Young adult.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Bar chart showing decline in Kidskin Study participation over time. Follow-ups of the Kidskin Study were conducted in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2005 and the KYAMS ran between 2015 and 2019
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Flow chart showing recruitment methods for KYAMS. If direct contact was made with the participants, we did not attempt to make contact using subsequent contact methods
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Percentage of contact attempts resulting in either contact with the participant or their family member (Contacted) or KYAMS participation (Participated) for each contact method. Number of contact attempts: Facebook: Ad (Advertisement) = 273, Facebook: Msq (Message) = 364, Letter: ER (Electoral Roll address) = 884, Letter: KS (Previous Kidskin Study address) = 1694, Phone: LL (Landline) = 1626, Phone: Mob (Mobile) = 415. Figure does not include 6 participants who were contacted by word of mouth, 3 of whom participated in the KYAMS, and 3 participants who contacted us via the Facebook study page, all of whom participated
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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