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Web Survey Bibliography

Title Challenges in conducting longitudinal randomized controlled trials online - The story of evaluating an online tailored HIV-prevention intervention
Year 2005
Access date 21.04.2005
Abstract INTRODUCTION The goal of this study was to examine the methodological implications of assessing the effect of an internet HIV-prevention intervention using an online randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS we conducted two online RCTs investigating the effect of one internet intervention on two different target groups: gay men in steady relationships and single gay men. The intervention aimed at helping men in steady relationships to have safe sex with their current partner and to help single men to have safe sex with future steady partners. Participation was anonymous to lower the threshold for enrollment. We examined behavioral effects with a 6-months follow-up via e-mail.RESULTS Online recruitment produced 1414 men in steady relationships (RCT1) & 1013 single men (RCT2). The tailored intervention was effective at follow-up in inducing the desired behavioral effect for both RCTs. However, we did encounter high drop rates at follow-up (between 52%-69% depending on the RCT and condition, full overview will be provided during the presentation). Dropout was related to specific phases in each RCT and differed between the RCTs. Men in RCT1 dropped out more during the intervention and less at follow-up than men in RCT2. Drop-out during e-mail registration was noticed in both RCTs and, later on, 37% (267/724) did not receive the call for follow-up because the e-mail address they left us was no longer operative. CONCLUSIONS Using an online RCT is challenging. During our online RCTs, content interacted with methodology: a psychological effect between the intervention and the different target groups influenced online dropout. We will discuss the implications this had for interpreting the intervention effects we found at follow-up. Further, e-mail registration seemed problematic for retention, possibly due to loss of anonymity or unwillingness to commit to a longitudinal study. For future online RCT evaluations, we will discuss ways to bind participants to online interventions and the RCTs that evaluate them. We should be careful using unsettling confrontational intervention messages as quitting participation online is as easy as a mouse click. Finally, efforts should be made to find innovative ways to maintain anonymous contact over-time with participants of online longitudinal RCTs.
Access/Direct link Homepage - conference (abstract)
Year of publication2005
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
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Web survey bibliography - 2005 (76)

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