title: Participant Retention in a Longitudinal National Telephone Survey of African American Men and Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to describe participant demographic factors related to retention, and to report on retention strategies in a national study of African Americans re-contacted 2.5 years after an initial baseline telephone interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Religion and Health in African Americans (RHIAA) study was originally developed as a cross-sectional telephone survey to examine relationships between religious involvement and health-related factors in a national sample of African Americans. The cohort was re-contacted on average of 2.5 years later for a follow-up interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  RHIAA participants were 2,803 African American men (1,202) and women (1,601).
  
  
  METHODS
  RHIAA used retention strategies consistent with recommendations from Hunt and White. Participants also received a lay summary of project findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retention at the follow-up interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retention rates ranged from 39%- 41%. Retained participants tended to be older and female. In age- and sex-adjusted analyses, retained participants were more educated, single, and in better health status than those not retained. There was no difference in religious involvement in adjusted analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although overall retention rates are lower than comparable longitudinal studies, RHIAA was not originally designed as a longitudinal study and so lacked a number of structures associated with long-term studies. However, this project illustrates the feasibility of conducting lengthy cold call telephone interviews with an African American population and helps to identify some participant factors related to retention and study strategies that may aid in retention.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Daisy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calvanelli
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Eddie M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D012067:Religion; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors