Description and initial evaluation of incorporating electronic follow-up of study participants in a longstanding multisite cohort study.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate a pilot program that allowed Chicago field center participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study to submit follow-up information electronically (eCARDIA).


METHODS
Chicago field center participants who provided email addresses were invited to complete contact information and follow-up questionnaires on medical conditions electronically in 2012-2013. Sociodemographic characteristics were compared between those who did and did not complete follow-up electronically. The number of participant contacts by CARDIA staff needed before follow-up was completed was also evaluated.


RESULTS
Blacks and low socioeconomic position individuals were less likely to complete follow-up using the electronic questionnaire. Participants who used the electronic questionnaire for follow-up needed fewer contacts (e.g., median 1 contact compared with 3for contact information follow-up), but they also needed fewer contacts prior to eCARDIA (median 1 before and after eCARDIA).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest other approaches will be needed to maintain contact and elicit follow-up information from harder-to-reach individuals.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N Lake Shore, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, USA. k-kershaw@northwestern.edu.
Kiarri N
KN
Kershaw
Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N Lake Shore, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, USA.
Kiang
K
Liu
Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, 13001 E 17th Place, Aurora, CO, USA.
David C
DC
Goff
Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N Lake Shore, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, USA.
Donald M
DM
Lloyd-Jones
Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 680 N Lake Shore, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, USA.
Laura J
LJ
Rasmussen-Torvik
Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 10197, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Jared P
JP
Reis
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, 1300 S 2nd Street, Suite 300, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Pamela J
PJ
Schreiner
Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1819 W Polk Street, Suite 246, Chicago, IL, USA.
Daniel B
DB
Garside
Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA, USA.
Stephen
S
Sidney
Cohort studies; Epidemiology; Pilot projects
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