Dataset Information

Online Recruitment: Feasibility, Cost, and Representativeness in a Study of Postpartum Women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Online recruitment is feasible, low-cost, and can provide high-quality epidemiological data. However, little is known about the feasibility of recruiting postpartum women online, or sample representativeness.

Objective

The current study investigates the feasibility of recruiting a population of postpartum women online for health research and examines sample representativeness.

Methods

Two samples of postpartum women were compared: those recruited online as participants in a brief survey of new mothers (n=1083) and those recruited face-to-face as part of a nationally representative study (n=579). Sociodemographic, general health, and mental health characteristics were compared between the two samples.

Results

Obtaining a sample of postpartum women online for health research was highly efficient and low-cost. The online sample over-represented those who were younger (aged 25-29 years), were in a de facto relationship, had higher levels of education, spoke only English at home, and were first-time mothers. Members of the online sample were significantly more likely to have poor self-rated health and poor mental health than the nationally representative sample. Health differences remained after adjusting for sociodemographic differences.

Conclusions

Potential exists for feasible and low-cost e-epidemiological research with postpartum populations; however, researchers should consider the potential influence of sample nonrepresentativeness.

SUBMITTER: Leach LS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5362693 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Online Recruitment: Feasibility, Cost, and Representativeness in a Study of Postpartum Women.

Leach Liana S LS Butterworth Peter P Poyser Carmel C Batterham Philip J PJ Farrer Louise M LM

Journal of medical Internet research 20170308 3

<h4>Background</h4>Online recruitment is feasible, low-cost, and can provide high-quality epidemiological data. However, little is known about the feasibility of recruiting postpartum women online, or sample representativeness.<h4>Objective</h4>The current study investigates the feasibility of recruiting a population of postpartum women online for health research and examines sample representativeness.<h4>Methods</h4>Two samples of postpartum women were compared: those recruited online as partic ...[more]

PMID: 28274906

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Project description:BackgroundResearchers are increasingly using social media advertisements to recruit participants because of their many advantages over traditional methods. Although there is growing evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of social media recruitment in the health sciences, no studies have yet examined this in the context of suicide prevention, which remains to be a highly stigmatized and sensitive topic.ObjectiveThis study aims to recruit a general community sample to complete a survey on suicide literacy, stigma, and risk via Facebook advertisements. Specifically, we aim to establish the performance of the advertisements, cost-effectiveness, sample representativeness, and the impact of gender-specific advertising on recruiting men into the study.MethodsFrom June 2017 to March 2019, we released Facebook advertisements targeted at adults 18 years or older, residing in the New South Wales (NSW) trial or control regions, and involved in the LifeSpan suicide prevention trial. Cost-effectiveness was examined descriptively using metrics provided by Facebook. Chi-square analyses were conducted to determine demographic differences between our sample and the general NSW population as well as the impact of gender-specific advertisements on gender engagement.ResultsThe 14 Facebook advertisement campaigns reached a total of 675,199 people, yielding 25,993 link clicks and resulting in 9603 individuals initiating the survey (7487 completions) at an overall cost of Aus $2.81 (US $2.01) per participant. There was an overrepresentation of younger (P=.003), female (P=.003), highly educated (P<.001) participants and mental health conditions (P<.001) compared with the total NSW population. The use of male-specific advertisements resulted in a significantly higher proportion of men completing the survey relative to gender-neutral advertisements (38.2% vs 24.6%; P<.001).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential of Facebook to be an effective, low-cost strategy for recruiting a large sample of general community participants for suicide prevention research. Strategies to improve sample representativeness warrant further investigation in future research.

Project description:IntroductionPostpartum depression and anxiety (PPDA) is experienced by up to 20% of families in the first year. The condition impacts not only parents but also their developing child. While mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have shown to be beneficial for this population, many parents do not have access to treatment or find it challenging to commit or complete the treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened some of the challenges that parents face. The ability to find time for needed self-care and health interventions is also affected by limited childcare support. The opportunity to attend a group online may significantly improve the accessibility to group MBI but may also bring challenges. This study aims to examine the feasibility and acceptability of online MBI groups for parents in families affected with PPDA.Methods and analysisIn this feasibility study, participants will include mothers diagnosed with PPDA and their partners. Two online MBI groups will run simultaneously for 8 weeks: one for mothers with PPDA and another one for their partners. The primary outcome will be feasibility of conducting the online groups, assessed from the facilitators' perspective, participants' perspective and attrition throughout the study. The participants' perspectives on feasibility will be assessed by questions including how difficult it was for them to make it to the sessions, specific obstacles encountered and their scheduling preferences. The facilitators' perspective will be assessed by frequency of technical difficulties encountered, of disruptions in the online sessions and of episodes where parents leave the screen (eg, to calm their child). Secondary outcomes will include mental health, couple relationship, satisfaction and acceptability which will also be evaluated through participant questionnaires.Ethics and disseminationThe study has received ethics approval from the University of British Columbia Children's and Women's Research Ethics Board. Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences.Trial registration numberNCT04617132.

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Dataset Information

Online Recruitment: Feasibility, Cost, and Representativeness in a Study of Postpartum Women.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Online Recruitment: Feasibility, Cost, and Representativeness in a Study of Postpartum Women.

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