Recruitment and retention in an alcohol prevention program at two inner-city middle schools.
This study examined recruitment within an alcohol prevention program at two diverse inner-city schools and retention of these students through follow-up at one month and one year. Subjects in Cohort 1 included 211 sixth grade students from one innercity, neighborhood school. Subjects in Cohort 2 included 650 sixth grade students from one neighborhood school (n = 388) and one magnet (bused) school (n = 262). Recruitment rates differed between the two Cohort 2 urban schools. However, when eligibility criteria were considered, recruitment rates were nearly identical. At one-month posttest, dropouts were more at risk for alcohol use initiation than nondropouts. At one-year follow-up, dropouts were more likely to initiate alcohol and smokeless tobacco, and had greater total risk factors for alcohol use. These findings indicate the need to establish eligibility requirements, conduct aggressive recruitment and follow-up to minimize subject attrition, and establish programming that targets students not recruited or retained when using standard protocols.
Pappas
D M
DM
University of North Florida, College of Health, Dept. of Health Science, South Jacksonville 32224-2645, USA. dpappas@gw.unf.edu
Werch
C E
CE
Carlson
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018579:Patient Selection; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014505:Urban Population