The Use of Technology in Participant Tracking and Study Retention: Lessons Learned From a Clinical Trials Network Study.

Background: The growing use of newer communication and Internet technologies, even among low-income and transient populations, require research staff to update their outreach strategies to ensure high follow-up and participant retention rates. This paper presents the views of research assistants on the use of cell phones and the Internet to track participants in a multisite randomized trial of substance use disorder treatment.

Methods: Preinterview questionnaires exploring tracking and other study-related activities were collected from 21 research staff across the 10 participating US sites.