An investigation of the predictors, barriers and facilitators to recruitment and retention of children and families to oral health trials



Robinson, LM
(2018) An investigation of the predictors, barriers and facilitators to recruitment and retention of children and families to oral health trials. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

[img] Text
201078581_Oct2017.pdf - Unspecified

Download (4MB)

Abstract

This thesis presents a detailed investigation into the predictors, barriers and facilitators to recruitment and retention of children and families in oral health trials. Study 1 is a systematic review of the predictors of recruitment and retention to RCTs involving children and families with no specific health focus. This study concludes that younger, those with low socioeconomic backgrounds, less well-educated and ethnic minority parents are less likely to be recruited and retained on RCTs; although there was disagreement between studies. Study 2 has an oral health focus and investigates study design predictors of recruitment and retention to trials involving children and families. The study findings were that trials over a year in length, set in community based settings with healthy participants were most likely to experience problems with recruitment and retention. Study 3 is a qualitative interview and focus group study with participants who continued and/or withdrew from the Salford Bright Smiles Baby Study (a community based early childhood caries trial with children ages 1-3 and their parents). Parents were motivated to take part in the study through wanting to be a better parent and wanting good oral health for their child. Facilitators to participation were flexibility in how the study was designed and delivered, e.g. nursery and home appointments and multiple forms of contact. Amongst the barriers to taking part were fear of being judged by others and the burden of participation. Finally study 4 is a quantitative analysis of the sociodemographic and oral health belief predictors of retention of participants on the Salford Bright Smiles Baby Study. This found that younger, unemployed lesser educated parents were less likely to remain on the trial to the end of the study. The thesis also provides insight into the quality of reporting of recruitment and retention in oral health trials. Whilst study two found that use of the CONSORT guidelines has increased over time, oral health trials still have a lower use of the guidelines than other research areas. To date very few studies have investigated predictors of recruitment and retention with children and families, even fewer in the field of oral health. This thesis presents a unique investigation into the actual barriers and facilitators to participation and provides findings that can be applied to future research with children and families. Specifically, recommendations to increase participation in longitudinal, community based oral health trials are presented.

Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 20 Aug 2018 08:55
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 06:38
DOI: 10.17638/03018534
Supervisors:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3018534