title: Retaining clients in an outcome monitoring evaluation study: HIV prevention efforts in community settings.
abstract: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) conducted outcome monitoring studies on evidence-based interventions (EBIs) provided by CDC-funded community-based organizations (CBOs). Critical to the success of outcome monitoring was the ability of CBOs to recruit and retain clients in evaluation studies. Two EBIs, Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex (VOICES/VOCES) and Healthy Relationships, were evaluated using repeated measure studies, which require robust follow-up retention rates to increase the validity and usefulness of the findings. The retention rates were high for both VOICES/VOCES CBOs (95.8% at 30 days and 91.1% at 120 days), and Healthy Relationships CBOs (89.5% at 90 days and 83.5% at 180 days). This paper presents an overview of the retention of clients, challenges to follow-up, and strategies developed by CBOs to achieve high retention rates. These strategies and rates are discussed within the context of the CBOs' target populations and communities.
authors: Program Evaluation Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. bsmith6@cdc.gov
authors: Bryce D
authors: BD
authors: Smith
authors: Elizabeth J
authors: EJ
authors: Kalayil
authors: Alpa
authors: A
authors: Patel-Larson
authors: Brenda
authors: B
authors: Chen
authors: Marla
authors: M
authors: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. / Q000458:organization & administration; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult