Effectiveness of recruitment and retention strategies in a pregnant adolescent nutrition intervention study

Abstract

Aim: To report the methodological strategies used to recruit and retain pregnant adolescents into a nutrition-focused intervention study. Background: An important step to meeting the developmental and healthcare needs of pregnant adolescents is to conduct high-quality research studies that generate reliable and accurate data. However, recruitment and retention of pregnant adolescents into research are challenging and time intensive. Design: A quasi-experimental, one-group, pre, post, 6-week postintervention repeated measures study was conducted among inner-city pregnant adolescents. Method: Study participants’ nutrition knowledge, eating habits, and personal self-efficacy were measured prior to pregnant adolescents’ participation in the workshop, immediately after the intervention and 6-weeks following the intervention. A total of four workshops were conducted over 14 months from 2014-2015. Results: Gatekeepers were influential in recruitment efforts due to trusting relationship they had with study participants. The use of texting reminders and pregnant adolescent-related incentives that included gift bags and baby items were also effective recruitment and retention strategies. Despite designing the recruitment strategies and using a developmentally tailored workshop, based on empirical evidence gleaned from pregnant adolescents that was modified to meet study participant's schedules, an adequate sample was unable to be recruited and retained for this study. Conclusion: High-quality research studies that generate reliable and accurate data are essential in meeting the developmental and healthcare needs of pregnant adolescents. A major barrier in developing evidence-based care practices to promote the health of these young mothers and their children involves recruiting and retaining them in research studies.