The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #57214

Pamela Denzmore, MPH, Colleen DiIorio, PhD, RN, Phillip Williams, BS, Torrance T. Brown, MPH, Robert Bailey, MPH, Terry Wang, MPH, and Frances McCarty, PhD. Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Rd, Rm. 264, Atlanta, GA 30322, 404.727.3070, pdenzmo@sph.emory.edu

Issues: Recruiting African American men and women into behavioral research studies is challenging. Once participants are recruited, maintaining their participation throughout the project can be equally challenging. Because participant’s withdrawal from behavioral research studies can limit the generalizability of the study results, it is important to support and monitor retention efforts. The purpose of this presentation is to share the challenges encountered and the strategies used by project staff to encourage African American fathers and their sons to complete all phases of an HIV prevention intervention. Methods: African American fathers and their sons were recruited through a community-based organization. A total of 277 fathers and their sons completed a baseline assessment using computer assisted self-interviewing. Fathers then attended educational sessions once per week for seven weeks. Following the intervention fathers and sons completed follow-up assessments at 3, 6 and 12 months after the final educational session. Results: Challenges to retention of fathers and their sons included changes in addresses and phone numbers, and thus availability for the educational sessions, and family conflict. Strategies used to encourage continued participation in the project included follow-up phone call and letters, monetary and non monetary incentives, and holiday cards from the project staff. Using a combination of retention strategies, that will be presented, follow-up rates were 90% at the 12 month assessment, and fathers attended an average of 44.5 % educational sessions. Conclusions: Successful retention of participants in behavioral trials is possible with a comprehensive retention strategy and dedicated staff who implement the plan.

Learning Objectives:

• Learning objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to:
• 1. List three effective strategies use to retain African American fathers in an HIV Intervention study.
• 2. Develop efficient retention tools.
• 3. Discuss the impact of retention rates on the generalizability of a behavioral research studies.

Keywords: African American, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Rollins School of Public Health -Emory University 1520 Clifton Road,Room 264 Atlanta, Georgia 30322