Recruitment and retention of an online sample for an HIV prevention intervention targeting men who have sex with men: the Smart Sex Quest Project
Recruitment and retention of an online sample for an HIV prevention intervention targeting men who have sex with men: the Smart Sex Quest Project
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DOI：
10.1080/09540120412331292507
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发表时间：
2004-11-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
McFarlane, M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bull, SS;Lloyd, L;McFarlane, M
人们对开发可在互联网上实施的艾滋病和性传播疾病预防干预措施的兴趣日益增加。然而，我们对于如何识别、招募并留住干预措施的参与者，以便测试其功效和有效性知之甚少。本研究的目的是评估一项基于互联网的随机对照试验（RCT）中的招募率和留存率，该试验旨在提高男男性行为者（MSM）对性传播疾病（STD）的预防。“智慧性探索”研究是一项在线进行的随机对照试验。符合条件的参与者是年龄至少18岁的美国男男性行为者。在完成基线风险评估后，参与者会收到定制的或对照的信息，并被要求在三个月后返回网站进行随访访谈。从2002年1月到2003年6月，有3625人作为潜在研究参与者登录；其中，563人不符合条件，1286人未填写基线调查问卷就离开了网站。1776名参与者有完整的基线数据，他们都有资格完成随访。270名（15.2%）参与者有完整的随访数据。虽然互联网是进行研究的一个有价值的工具，但在线进行这项纵向研究受到随访缺失的严重影响，而且完成和未完成研究的人之间存在显著差异，这阻碍了对结果数据的分析。必须考虑招募和评估在线试验的替代方法。
There is an increasing interest in developing interventions for HIV and STD prevention that can be delivered on the Internet. However, we know little about what it takes to identify, recruit and retain participants in interventions so that we can test their efficacy and effectiveness. Objectives for this investigation were to evaluate rates of recruitment and retention in an Internet-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) to increase sexually transmitted disease ( STD) prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM). The Smart Sex Quest study was a RCT conducted online. Eligible participants were MSM, at least 18 years old and US residents. After completing a baseline risk assessment, participants were exposed to tailored or control messages and asked to return to the site at three months for a follow-up interview. From January 2002 through June 2003, 3,625 persons logged on as potential study participants; of these, 563 were not eligible, while 1,286 left the site without filling out a baseline survey. Complete baseline data were available for 1,776 participants, all of whom were eligible to complete a follow-up. Complete follow-up data were available for 270 (15.2%) participants. While the Internet is a valuable tool for conducting research, conducting this longitudinal research online was severely affected by a loss to follow-up, and analyzing outcome data was hampered by significant differences between those who did and did not complete the study. Alternate ways to recruit for and evaluate online trials must be considered.