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Table 1 Categories of retention strategies

From: Applying the 4Ps of social marketing to retain and engage participants in longitudinal cohort studies: generation 2 Raine study participant perspectives

Retention strategy category

Description

Booker C, et al. 2011 [8]

Robinson K, et al., 2015 [7]

Abshire M, et al., 2017 [9]

Teague S, et al., 2018 [10]

Contact and scheduling methods

A systematic method for participant contact, appointment scheduling, and cohort retention monitoring is used

 

 

Visit characteristics

Minimize participant burden through characteristics and procedures of follow-up study clinic e.g., flexible appointments, convenient locations.

 

 

Study personnel

Characteristics, training, and management of study personnel

 

 

Nonfinancial incentives

Provide nonfinancial incentives or tokens of appreciation

 

Financial incentives

Provide financial incentives or payment

 

Reminders

Provide reminders about appointments and study participation

Special tracking methods

Methods of tracking hard-to-find or difficult participants

 

Study description

Explain to participants the study requirements and details, including potential benefits and risks

 

 

Benefits of study

Provide benefits to participants and families that are directly related to the nature of study

 

 

Reimbursements

Provide reimbursement for research related expenses or tangible support to facilitate participation

 

 

Study identity

Create study identity for participants

 

 

Community involvement

Involve community in study design, recruitment, and retention

 

Reducing barriers to participation

e.g., offering childcare services, assistance with transport and parking, utilising a participant sub sample to evaluate data collection approaches for the next wave

   

Other methods

e.g., Methods of posting, personalised information letters, length of questionnaire (e.g., shorter)