Table 3 Retention strategies applied by the three cohorts throughout studies’ waves
EPICE/SHIPS Studies | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Cohort recruitment Birth/baseline: 2011/12; Most recent follow-up in all cohorts at 5 yrs.: 2016/17 | |||
Retention Strategies | PT | IT | DK |
Cohort | Cohort | Cohort | |
(i) “Barrier-reduction strategies” | |||
• assistance with postage costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• flexibility for phone contact and scheduling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• offer of alternative methods for data collection | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• offer of home or closer to home assessments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• offer of catering / refreshments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• assistance with transport and lodging costs (occasionally) | ✓ | ||
(ii) “Bond-building strategies” | |||
• common dedicated European website (English language) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• related news and published study documents in the website | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• sharing individual feedback on study results (of the neurodevelopmental assessment at 5 yrs) | ✓ | ✓ | |
• book on EPICE study results sent to parents (country’s language) | ✓ | ||
• age-appropriate book offered/sent to children (at the 5 yrs. study wave) | ✓ | ||
• annual birthday postcard sent to children | ✓ | ||
• newsletter (country’s language) | ✓ | ||
• emails on media appearances related with the cohort (sporadic) | ✓ | ||
• gathering events with researchers / other participants | ✓ | ||
(iii) “Reminders/other extra incentives to participation within each study wave” | |||
• reminder phone calls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• reminder letters | ✓ | ✓ | |
• reminder emails and/or sms | ✓ | ✓ | |
• cash incentives / voucher incentives / specific rewards for assessment completion at the wave event | |||
(iv) “Tracing and contact strategies” | |||
• tracing via cohort database by postal mail and alternative contacts: email and/or phone call | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• alternative tracing via healthcare/institutional tracking database system | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
• tracing via update your contact details (annual monitoring contact) | ✓ | ||
• tracing via public records /network focal points | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |