Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Predictors of locating children participants in epidemiological studies 20 years after last contact: internet resources and longitudinal research

  • METHODS
  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines predictors of locating participants that were last contacted 20 years ago using public web-search directories, in order to facilitate longitudinal environmental health research. Participants (n = 3,202) resided in four distinct geographical neighborhoods in Hamilton, Ontario during childhood; they were between 15 and 17 years old when they were last contacted in 1986. Data used for tracing included available addresses, telephone numbers, given names, and parental names. Reverse and forward search strategies were used to retrieve updated contact details. 43% of the sample was traced using online directories. Following ethical approval, participants were contacted using traced data and 29% of the original cohort was located. Predictors of locating participants were: availability of paternal names, being traced to original addresses or telephone numbers, gender (male), relatively higher socioeconomic status in childhood, and not being exposed to smoking in childhood. Where participants resided in childhood was not a significant predictor of locating participants. Although 13% of the sample was traced using forward search by name, only 4% were located. For participants traced to available addresses or telephone numbers, the difference between the proportions of traced and located participants was <3%. Prospective studies on children may benefit from including the listed names that pertain to each child’s telephone number and full parental names at recruitment, thereby increasing the likelihood of locating participants using Internet resources. Integrating the use of Internet-based public directories for cohort reconstruction can reduce financial costs related to follow-up for longitudinal research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CI:

Confidence intervals

OR:

Odds ratio

WU:

West upper neighborhood

WL:

West lower neighborhood

EU:

East upper neighborhood

EL:

East lower neighborhood

MREB:

McMaster University Research Ethics Board

AP:

Address telephone number and surname

P:

Telephone number and surname only

A:

Address and surname only

O:

Possible new address and telephone number

UD:

Unable to determine

References

  1. Nicholson JN, Sanson A. A new longitudinal study of the health and wellbeing of Australian children: how will it help? Med J Aust. 2003;178(6):282–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Goldberg MS, Burnett RT. A new longitudinal design for identifying subgroups of the population who are susceptible to the short-term effects of ambient air pollution. J Toxicol Environ Health Part A. 2005; (68): 13–14; 1111–1125.

  3. Hunt JR, White E. Retaining and tracking cohort study members. Epidemiol Rev. 1998;20(1):57–70.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Koo MM, Rohan TE. Use of world wide web-based directories for tracing subjects in epidemiologic studies. Am J Epidemiol. 2000;152(9):889–94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cadarette SM, Dickson L, Gignac MA, Beaton DE, Jaglal SB, Hawker GA. Predictors of locating women six to eight after contact: internet resources at recruitment may help to improve response rates in longitudinal research. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2007;7(22):1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Tehranifar P, Terry MB, Susser E. #108-S tracking of a subcohort of the national collaborative perinatal project: the New York experience. Ann Epidemiol. 2002;12(7):529–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Mertens AC, Sposato WR, Taylor L, Mitby P, Whitton J, Inskip P, et al. Characteristics of childhood cancer survivors predicted their successful tracing. J Clin Epidemiol. 2004;57:933–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kreiger N, Spielberg L, Dodds L, Elinson L. Cancer Incidence in an urban community: an historical cohort study. Can J Public Health. 1990;81:161–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Spitzer WO, Shenker SC, Hill GB. Cancer in a montreal suburb: the investigation of a non-epidemic. CMA J. 1982;127:971–4.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Salamone ML, Cauley AJ. Cohort studies and randomized controlled studies in endocrinology. Epidemiol Clin Decis Mak. 1997;26(1):17–29.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Weinberger M, Weinberger M, Fineberg N, Fineberg E, Waner U. Long-term follow-up of participants in clinical studies. J Clin Epidemiol. 2002;55:230–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Pengelly LD, Kerigan AT, Goldsmith CH. Sensitivity of children with asthma to chronic low-level sulphur dioxide exposure. In: Brasser LJ and Mulder WC, editors. Man and his Ecosystem. Proceedings to the 8th World Clean Air Congress 1989, The Hague, The Netherlands, 11–15 September, vol. 1.

  13. Kerigan AT, Goldsmith CH, Pengelly LD. A three-year cohort study of the role of environmental factors in the respiratory health of children in Hamilton, Ontario. Am Respir Dis. 1986;133:987–93.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Yellowpages.ca™ The find engine. (http://www.yellowpages.ca/).

  15. Canada411.ca (http://www.canada411.ca).

  16. Luginaah IN, Jerrett M, Elliott S, Eyles J, Parizeau K, Birch S, et al. Health profiles of Hamilton: spatial characteristics of neighbourhoods for health investigations. GeoJournal 200l; 53:135–47.

  17. Hampson SE, Dubanoski JP, Hamada W, Marsella AJ, Matsukawa J, Suarez E, Glodberg LR. Where are they now? locating former elementary-school students after nearly 40 years for a longitudinal study of personality and health. J Res Pers. 2001;35(3):375–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Garcia M, Schiaffino A, Fernandez E, Marti M, Salto E, Perez G, et al. The Cornella Health Interview Survey Follow-up (CHIS.FU) study: design, methods, and response rate. BMC Public Health. 2003;3:1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Babbie ER. Survey research methods. Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company; 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Altman DG. Statistics in medical journals: some recent trends. Stat Med. 2000;19:3275–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kristman V, Manno M, Cote P. Loss to Follow-up in Cohort Studies: how much is too much? Eur J Epidemiol. 2004;19:751–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Siddiqui O, Flay BR, Hu FB. Factors affecting attrition in a longitudinal smoking prevention study. Prev Med. 1996;25:554–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Harvey BJ, Wlikins AL, Hawker GA, Badley EM, Coyte PC, Glazier RH, et al. Using publicly available directories to trace survey responders and calculate adjusted response rates. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;158:1007–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Gertler MS. Canadian city-regions as foundations for economic and cultural growth. Presented at ‘Edmonton on the Edge’, University of Alberta, Edmonton Design Committee, City of Edmonton, 17 November, 2008.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Caroline P. Barakat-Haddad

  2. Department of Natural Science and Public Health, College of Arts and Sciences, Zayed University, P.O. Box 19282, Dubai, UAE

    Caroline P. Barakat-Haddad

  3. School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster Institute of Environment and Health, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Susan J. Elliott & John Eyles

  4. Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    David Pengelly

Authors
  1. Caroline P. Barakat-Haddad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Susan J. Elliott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John Eyles
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David Pengelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Caroline P. Barakat-Haddad.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barakat-Haddad, C.P., Elliott, S.J., Eyles, J. et al. Predictors of locating children participants in epidemiological studies 20 years after last contact: internet resources and longitudinal research. Eur J Epidemiol 24, 397–405 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-009-9364-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-009-9364-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation