Recruitment and retention of participants in longitudinal studies after a natural disaster

Authors:
Geraldine F.H. McLeod University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Geraldine F.H. McLeod in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
L. John Horwood University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by L. John Horwood in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Brian A. Darlow University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Brian A. Darlow in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Joseph M. Boden University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Joseph M. Boden in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Julia Martin University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Julia Martin in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Janet K. Spittlehouse University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Janet K. Spittlehouse in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Frances A. Carter Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Frances A. Carter in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Jennifer Jordan University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Jennifer Jordan in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Richard Porter University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Richard Porter in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Caroline Bell University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Caroline Bell in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Katie Douglas University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Katie Douglas in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Jacki Henderson University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Jacki Henderson in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Marie Goulden University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Marie Goulden in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Virginia V.W. McIntosh University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Virginia V.W. McIntosh in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Lianne J. Woodward University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Lianne J. Woodward in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Julia J. Rucklidge University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Julia J. Rucklidge in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Roeline G. Kuijer University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Roeline G. Kuijer in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Joanne Allen Massey University, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Joanne Allen in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
, and
Esther Vierck Southern District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Esther Vierck in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
Restricted access
Get eTOC alerts
Rights and permissions Cite this article

Climate change and population growth will increase vulnerability to natural and human-made disasters or pandemics. Longitudinal research studies may be adversely impacted by a lack of access to study resources, inability to travel around the urban environment, reluctance of sample members to attend appointments, sample members moving residence and potentially also the destruction of research facilities. One of the key advantages of longitudinal research is the ability to assess associations between exposures and outcomes by limiting the influence of sample selection bias. However, ensuring the validity and reliability of findings in longitudinal research requires the recruitment and retention of respondents who are willing and able to be repeatedly assessed over an extended period of time. This study examined recruitment and retention strategies of 11 longitudinal cohort studies operating during the Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake sequence which began in September 2010, including staff perceptions of the major impediments to study operations during/after the earthquakes and respondents’ barriers to participation. Successful strategies to assist recruitment and retention after a natural disaster are discussed. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, longitudinal studies are potentially encountering some of the issues highlighted in this paper including: closure of facilities, restricted movement of research staff and sample members, and reluctance of sample members to attend appointments. It is possible that suggestions in this paper may be implemented so that longitudinal studies can protect the operation of their research programmes.

  • Ardagh, M.W., Richardson, S.K., Robinson, V., Than, M., Gee, P., Henderson, S., Khodaverdi, L., McKie, J., Robertson, G., Schroeder, P.P. et al. (2012) The initial Health-system response to the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, in February, 2011, The Lancet, 379(9831): 210915. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60313-4

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Atkeson, A. (2020) What Will Be the Economic Impact of COVID-19 in the US? Rough Estimates of Disease Scenarios, Working Paper 26867, Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bartlett, R., Milne, R. and Croucher, R. (2018) Strategies to improve recruitment of people with dementia to research studies, Dementia, 18(7/8): 2494504. doi: 10.1177/1471301217748503

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bell, C.J., Frampton, C.M., Colhoun, H.C., Douglas, K.M., McIntosh, V.W., Carter, F.A., Jordan, J., Carter, J.D., Smith, R.A., Marie, L.M. et al. (2018) Earthquake brain: impairment of spatial memory following long-term earthquake-related stress, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 53(1): 3747.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Delaney, C., Martin-Biggers, J., Koenings, M. and Quick, V. (2017) The marketing plan and outcome indicators for recruiting and retaining parents in the HomeStyles randomized controlled trial, Trials, 18(1): art. 540, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2262-3. doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-2262-3

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Caruana, E.J., Roman, M., Hernández-Sánchez, J. and Solli, P. (2015) Longitudinal studies, Journal of Thoracic Disease, 7(11): E537E540, https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2015.10.63.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project (2021) The project to reinstate Christ Church Cathedral, https://reinstate.org.nz/.

  • Coggon, D., Barker, D. and Rose, G. (2009) Epidemiology for the Uninitiated, London: Wiley.

  • Davison, K.K., Charles, J.N., Khandpur, N. and Nelson, T.J. (2017) Fathers’ perceived reasons for their underrepresentation in child health research and strategies to increase their involvement, Maternal Child Health Journal, 21(2): 26774. doi: 10.1007/s10995-016-2157-z

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Forcey, D.S., Walker, S.M., Vodstrcil, L.A., Fairley, C.K., Bilardi, J.E., Law, M., Hocking, J.S., Fethers, K.A., Petersen, S., Bellhouse, C. et al. (2014) Factors associated with participation and attrition in a longitudinal study of bacterial vaginosis in Australian women who have sex with women, PLoS ONE, 9(11): e113452, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0113452.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Friedman, D.B., Foster, C., Bergeron, C.D., Tanner, A. and Kim, S.H. (2015) A qualitative study of recruitment barriers, motivators, and community-based strategies for increasing clinical trials participation among rural and urban populations, American Journal of Health Promotion, 29(5): 3328. doi: 10.4278/ajhp.130514-QUAL-247

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Friedman, L.M., Furberg, C.D., DeMets, D.L., Reboussin, D.M. and Granger, C.B. (2015) Recruitment of study participants, Fundamentals of Clinical Trials, 5th edn, Cham: Springer, pp 21532.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Fry, A., Littlejohns, T.J., Sudlow, C., Doherty, N., Adamska, L., Sprosen, T., Collins, R. and Allen, N.E. (2017) Comparison of sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of UK Biobank participants with those of the general population, American Journal of Epidemiology, 186(9): 102634. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwx246

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Geonet (2016) Magnitude 5.7, Sun Feb 14 2016 1:13 PM, https://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/2016p118944.

  • Gray, C.L. and Mueller, V. (2012) Natural disasters and population mobility in Bangladesh, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(16): 60005. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1115944109

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Greater Christchurch Group (2019) Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Learning and Legacy Programme: The EQ Recovery Learning Website, https://www.eqrecoverylearning.org/about/earthquake-recovery-in-canterbury/.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gul, R.B. and Ali, P.A. (2010) Clinical trials: the challenge of recruitment and retention of participants, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19(1/2): 22733. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2009.03041.x

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hallegatte, S. (2016) Natural Disasters and Climate Change: An Economic Perspective, Cham: Springer.

  • Howcutt, S.J., Barnett, A.L., Barbosa‐Boucas, S. and Smith, L.A. (2018) Research recruitment: a marketing framework to improve sample representativeness in health research, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(4): 96875. doi: 10.1111/jan.13490

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • La Greca, A.M., Silverman, W.K., Vernberg, E.M. and Prinstein, M.J. (1996) Symptoms of posttraumatic stress in children after Hurricane Andrew: a prospective study, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(4): 71223. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.64.4.712

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Land Information New Zealand (2015) Christchurch Residential Red Zone, https://www.linz.govt.nz/crown-property/types-crown-property/christchurch-residential-red-zone.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lankenau, S.E., Sanders, B., Hathazi, D. and Jackson Bloom, J. (2010) Recruiting and retaining mobile young injection drug users in a longitudinal study, Substance Use and Misuse, 45(5): 68499. doi: 10.3109/10826081003594914

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lau, H., Khosrawipour, V., Kocbach, P., Mikolajczyk, A., Schubert, J., Bania, J. and Khosrawipour, T. (2020) The positive impact of lockdown in Wuhan on containing the COVID-19 outbreak in China, Journal of Travel Medicine, 27(3): art taaa037, https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaa037. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taaa037

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lee, C., Dobson, A., Brown, W. and Adamson, L. (2000) Tracking participants: lessons from the Women’s Health Australia Project, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24(3): 3346. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842X.2000.tb01580.x

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Mason, M.J. (1999) A review of procedural and statistical methods for handling attrition and missing data in clinical research, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 32(2): 11118. doi: 10.1080/07481756.1999.12068976

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Matthieu, M. and Ivanoff, A. (2006) Treatment of human-caused trauma: attrition in the adult outcomes research, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21(12): 165464. doi: 10.1177/0886260506294243

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • McGonagle, K., Leissou, E., Beaule, A. and Stafford, F. (2008) Tracking PSID Families in the Gulf States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, PSID (Panel Study of Income Dynamics) Technical Series Paper 08-01.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • McSaveney, E. (2017) Historic Earthquakes: The 2011 Christchurch Earthquake, Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/historic-earthquakes/page-13.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ministry for Culture and Heritage (2016) February 2011 Christchurch Earthquake, https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/february-2011-christchurch-earthquake.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Mitchell, M. (2015) Relocation After Disaster: Engaging with Insured Residential Property Owners in Greater Christchurch’s Land-Damaged ‘Residential Red Zone’, Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Neria, Y., Galea, S. and Norris, F.H. (2009) Disaster mental health research: current state, gaps in knowledge, and future directions, in Y. Neria, S. Galea and F.H. Norris (eds) Mental Health and Disasters, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp 594610.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Nohr, E.A., Frydenberg, M., Henriksen, T.B. and Olsen, J. (2006) Does low participation in cohort studies induce bias?, Epidemiology, 17(4): 41318. doi: 10.1097/01.ede.0000220549.14177.60

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Norris, F.H., Galea. S., Friedman, M.J. and Watson, P.J. (eds) (2006) Methods for Disaster Mental Health Research, New York: Guilford Press.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Potter, S.H., Becker, J.S., Johnston, D.M. and Rossiter, K.P. (2015) An overview of the impacts of the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 14(1): 614. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2015.01.014

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Proctor, L.J., Fauchier, A., Oliver, P.H., Ramos, M.C., Rios, M.A. and Margolin, G. (2007) Family context and young children’s responses to earthquake, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48(9): 9419. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01771.x

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ribisl, K.M., Walton, M.A., Mowbray, C.T., Luke, D.A., Davidson, W.S. II and Bootsmiller, B.J. (1996) Minimizing participant attrition in panel studies through the use of effective retention and tracking strategies: review and recommendations, Evaluation Program Planning, 19(1): 125. doi: 10.1016/0149-7189(95)00037-2

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Satherley, N., Milojev, P., Greaves, L.M., Huang, Y., Osborne, D., Bulbulia, J. and Sibley, C.G. (2015) Demographic and psychological predictors of panel attrition: Evidence from the New Zealand attitudes and values study, PLoS ONE, 10(3): art e0121950. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121950

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Scott, C.K. (2004) A replicable model for achieving over 90% follow-up rates in longitudinal studies of substance abusers, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 74(1): 2136. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2003.11.007

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Scott, C.K., Sonis, J., Creamer, M. and Dennis, M.L. (2006) Maximizing follow‐up in longitudinal studies of traumatized populations, Journal of Traumatic Stress. 19(6): 75769. doi: 10.1002/jts.20186

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Smith, R., McIntosh, V.V., Carter, J.D., Colhoun, H., Jordan, J., Carter, F.A. and Bell, C.J. (2017) In some strange way, trouble is good for people: posttraumatic growth following the Canterbury earthquake sequence, Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, 21(1): 3142.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Spittlehouse, J.K., Joyce, P.R., Vierck, E., Schluter, P.J. and Pearson, J.F. (2014) Ongoing adverse mental health impact of the earthquake sequence in Christchurch, New Zealand, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 48(8): 75663.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Teague, S., Youssef, G.J., Macdonald, J.A., Sciberras, E., Shatte, A., Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Greenwood, C., McIntosh, J., Olsson, C.A. and Hutchinson, D. (2018) Retention strategies in longitudinal cohort studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis, BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18(1): art 151, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0586-7. doi: 10.1186/s12874-018-0586-7

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Warheit, G.J., Zimmerman, R.S., Khoury, E.L., Vega, W.A. and Gil, A.G. (1996) Disaster related stresses, depressive signs and symptoms, and suicidal ideation among a multi‐racial/ethnic sample of adolescents: a longitudinal analysis, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 37(4): 43544. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01424.x

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • World Health Organization (2020) Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Situation Report 136, https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200604-covid-19-sitrep-136.pdf?sfvrsn=fd36550b_2.

  • Wright, J.D., Allen, T.L. and Devine, J.A. (1995) Tracking non-traditional populations in longitudinal studies, Evaluation and Program Planning, 18(3): 26777. doi: 10.1016/S0149-7189(95)00020-8

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Geraldine F.H. McLeod University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Geraldine F.H. McLeod in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
L. John Horwood University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by L. John Horwood in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Brian A. Darlow University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Brian A. Darlow in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Joseph M. Boden University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Joseph M. Boden in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Julia Martin University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Julia Martin in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Janet K. Spittlehouse University of Otago, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Janet K. Spittlehouse in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Frances A. Carter Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Frances A. Carter in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Jennifer Jordan University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Jennifer Jordan in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Richard Porter University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Richard Porter in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Caroline Bell University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Caroline Bell in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Katie Douglas University of Otagoand Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Katie Douglas in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Jacki Henderson University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Jacki Henderson in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Marie Goulden University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Marie Goulden in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Virginia V.W. McIntosh University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Virginia V.W. McIntosh in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Lianne J. Woodward University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Lianne J. Woodward in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Julia J. Rucklidge University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Julia J. Rucklidge in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Roeline G. Kuijer University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Roeline G. Kuijer in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
,
Joanne Allen Massey University, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Joanne Allen in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
, and
Esther Vierck Southern District Health Board, New Zealand

Search for other papers by Esther Vierck in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close

Content Metrics

May 2022 onwards Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 3013 1198 180
Full Text Views 860 5 3
PDF Downloads 731 5 2

Altmetrics

Dimensions

Longitudinal and Life Course Studies
An international journal