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Show THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES LEAP PROGRAM DO HEALTH TIPS IMPROVE RETENTION IN LONGITUDINAL CLINICAL STUDIES? Diana Thai (Nicole L. Mihalopoulos) Department of Pediatrics University of Utah Background Longitudinal studies require frequent contact with participants to enhance retention. Retention may be influenced by participant attitude toward the study. Participant attitude may be influenced by the type of contact by study staff. Traditional retention strategies are reminder follow-up phone call, monetary reimbursement, and birthday card notification. Our study uses bimonthly health tips as an additional approach for retention in a longitudinal investigation on obese (BMI > 95 percentile) individuals from ages 8-17. Objective Determine if bimonthly health tips aid in participant retention. Methods Of 98 participants, 55 survey responses were collected (22 males and 32 females) via phone call or e mail. Four survey questions asked if health tips were received, level of satisfaction, application of tip, and retention (i.e. D o the health tips help you remember our study and annual follow-up visit?). Results 44% of participants (14 males, 26 females) were satisfied with the health tips and 3 4 % stated the tips were helpful in retention. Health tips were attempted by 28.6% (20 females, 6 males). Health tips enhanced memory of study a m o n g Non-Hispanics and older. Gender, race, insurance, and parent education did not affect retention. Conclusion The majority of respondents were satisfied with the health tips and stated they were helpful in remembering the study, but does not change healthy lifestyle behaviors. Figure 1. Gender and Survey Response 50% 45% 40% | 35% | 30% 2.25% £ 20% #. 15% 10% 5% • -- -I1 11 • Received health tips • 1 • Attitude towards health tips • • • Tried health tips • Males • Females • J • Health tips helped remember visit A MESSAGE FROM THE STAGES TRIAL ThbiV tvdc* befor* okirg another sip of «xb.. Figure 2. Demographic* f ihnicir\ \on-Hi lli-hc.i levd n f p a m l education 13.33 + 2.68 28% 28% 44% 33% 67% 33% 3% 64% 12.03 + 2.78 41% 25% 34% 9% 91% 52% 6% 42% w i th:t Increase! bccty f at which >jb»rfcalcttjni ingrowlngbores, ;to«rtymaking ivaHemames! ir?*rr Diana Thai Nicole L. Mihalopoulos 173 |