BACKGROUND Participant retention is a major challenge in clinical research, especially in studies with multiple, longitudinal research assessments Despite the importance of retention methods, there is little empirical research on how cohort retention efforts are perceived by study participants. RESEARCH QUESTION To evaluate the association between the number of attempts undertaken to contact participants for research assessments in a longitudinal cohort study and participants' feeling of being bothered regarding such contact attempts. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Secondary analysis of 315 Acute Respiratory Disorder Syndrome (ARDS) survivors participating in a prospective study using comprehensive strategies for participant follow-up at 6 and 12 months that achieved >95% participant retention. After completing a 242-question research assessment lasting 20 to 40-minutes, participants were surveyed for feedback. RESULTS At 6 and 12 months, only 5% and 8% of participants, respectively, reported being bothered "more than a little bit" by the study contact attempts, with an Odds Ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.06 (1.02 - 1.10) for each contact attempt. Participants' mental health symptoms at follow-up assessment were not associated with reports of being bothered INTERPRETATION: Comprehensive cohort retention efforts can achieve >95% retention rates in a national longitudinal study, with the vast majority of participants reporting little or no bother by contact attempts. Despite a high frequency of mental health symptoms in this population, such symptoms were not associated with participant feedback regarding contact attempts. Careful training of research staff may be important in achieving such results.

中文翻译：

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在一项针对 ARDS 幸存者的全国纵向队列研究中，参与者接触尝试与被打扰的报告之间的关联

背景参与者保留是临床研究中的主要挑战，尤其是在具有多个纵向研究评估的研究中尽管保留方法很重要，但关于研究参与者如何看待队列保留努力的实证研究很少。研究问题 评估在纵向队列研究中尝试联系参与者进行研究评估的次数与参与者对此类联系尝试感到困扰的感觉之间的关联。研究设计和方法 对参与前瞻性研究的 315 名急性呼吸系统疾病 (ARDS) 幸存者进行二次分析，使用综合策略对参与者进行 6 个月和 12 个月的随访，参与者保留率超过 95%。在完成持续 20 到 40 分钟的 242 个问题研究评估后，参与者接受了反馈调查。结果 在第 6 个月和第 12 个月时，分别只有 5% 和 8% 的参与者报告说他们对研究接触尝试“有一点点”，优势比（95% 置信区间）为 1.06 (1.02 - 1.10) ) 对于每次联系尝试。参与者在后续评估中的心理健康症状与被打扰的报告无关 解释：在一项全国纵向研究中，综合队列保留努力可以实现 >95% 的保留率，绝大多数参与者报告很少或没有接触打扰尝试。尽管这一人群中出现高频率的心理健康症状，这些症状与参与者对接触尝试的反馈无关。对研究人员的仔细培训可能对取得这样的结果很重要。