Abstract
BackgroundRecruitment and retention of participants to large-scale, longitudinal studies can be a challenge, particularly when trying to target young women. Qualitative inquiries with members of the target population can prove valuable in assisting with the development of effective recruiting techniques. Researchers in the current study made use of focus group methodology to identify how to encourage young women aged 18-23 to participate in a national cohort online survey.ObjectiveOur objectives were to gain insight into how to encourage young women to participate in a large-scale, longitudinal health survey, as well as to evaluate the survey instrument and mode of administration.MethodsThe Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health used focus group methodology to learn how to encourage young women to participate in a large-scale, longitudinal Web-based health survey and to evaluate the survey instrument and mode of administration. Nineteen groups, involving 75 women aged 18-23 years, were held in remote, regional, and urban areas of New South Wales and Queensland.ResultsFocus groups were held in 2 stages, with discussions lasting from 19 minutes to over 1 hour. The focus groups allowed concord to be reached regarding survey promotion using social media, why personal information was needed, strategies to ensure confidentiality, how best to ask sensitive questions, and survey design for ease of completion. Recruitment into the focus groups proved difficult: the groups varied in size between 1 and 8 participants, with the majority conducted with 2 participants.ConclusionsIntense recruitment efforts and variation in final focus group numbers highlights the “hard to reach” character of young women. However, the benefits of conducting focus group discussions as a preparatory stage to the recruitment of a large cohort for a longitudinal Web-based health survey were upheld.
Highlights
Recruiting and retention of participants to large-scale longitudinal studies has become a challenge in recent years [1], when resources are limited and low response rates lead to the costs of more traditional random sampling methods becoming prohibitive [2]
The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health used focus group methodology to learn how to encourage young women to participate in a large-scale, longitudinal Web-based health survey and to evaluate the survey instrument and mode of administration
Focus groups were held in 2 stages, with discussions lasting from 19 minutes to over 1 hour
Summary
Recruiting and retention of participants to large-scale longitudinal studies has become a challenge in recent years [1], when resources are limited and low response rates lead to the costs of more traditional random sampling methods becoming prohibitive [2]. While monitoring the recruitment of participants into the focus groups, the authors noted evidence of recruitment tactics not in keeping with the original research plan, and a number of changes were necessary to their original recruitment strategy to boost lagging participation numbers In their findings, the authors reiterated the importance of only using evidence of what works best in the planning and design of studies. In terms of recruitment of participants into health research, Dyas et al noted that individuals can be interested in a topic it does not necessarily equate to subsequent participation [3] This point was supported by de Jonge [4] when referring to recruitment into focus groups . Researchers in the current study made use of focus group methodology to identify how to encourage young women aged 18-23 to participate in a national cohort online survey
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