title: We should really keep in touch: predictors of the ability to maintain contact with contraception clinical trial participants over 12 months.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assesses the ability to maintain contact with participants enrolled in an emergency contraception (EC) trial with 12 months of follow-up based on the modes of contact they provided at enrollment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data came from a clinical trial offering women the copper intrauterine device or oral levonorgestrel for EC. A modified Poisson regression was used to assess predictors associated with the ability to contact study participants 12 months after enrollment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were available for 542 participants; 443 (82%) could be contacted at 12 months. Contact at 12 months was greatest for those whose preferred the method of contact was text messaging, e-mail or any (62/68; 91% contacted) and worst for the 18 who had a landline phone (only 7 contacted; 39%). After controlling for age, having an e-mail address, text messaging, language preference, type of EC chosen and insurance, preferred contact other than phone increased the likelihood of follow-up by 10% [risk ratio (RR) 1.1 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-1.2], while having a landline reduced a woman's likelihood of being contacted at 12 months by 50% compared to women with a contract cell (RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-1.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The few women with a landline for contact had poor follow-up at 1 year, while women who preferred e-mail or text had the highest rate of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding how best to reduce loss to follow-up is an essential component of conducting a contraceptive clinical trial. Improved participant retention maximizes internal validity and allows for important clinical outcomes, such as pregnancy, to be assessed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Electronic address: ltorres@cvchc.org.
authors.forename: Leah N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: David K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Turok
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, Orange, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Janet C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Amna I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Dermish
authors.affiliation: University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007435:Intrauterine Devices, Copper; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D059012:Lost to Follow-Up; D010361:Patients; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016912:Levonorgestrel
keywords: Emergency contraception; IUD; Levonorgestrel; Participant retention