Monitoring Study Participants and Implementation with Phone Calls to Support Hypertension Control During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of a Multicomponent Intervention Trial in Guatemala

Abstract Background: Despite experiencing HIV/STIs, violence, and other morbidities at higher rates than the general public, street-based female sex workers are often absent from public health research and surveillance due to the difficulty and high costs associated with engagement and retention. The current study builds on existing literature by examining barriers and facilitators of retaining a street-based cohort of cisgender female sex workers recruited in a mobile setting in Baltimore, Maryland who participated in the SAPPHIRE study. Participants completed interviews and sexual health testing at baseline, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months. Methods: Retention strategies are described and discussed in light of their benefits and challenges. We also calculated analyzed raw and adjusted retention proportions at each follow-up period. Lastly, baseline sample characteristics were compared by number of completed visits across demographic, structural vulnerabilities, work environment, and substance use variables using F-tests and Pearson’s chi-square tests. Results: Although there were drawbacks to each retention strategy, each method was useful in tandem in achieving a successful follow-up rate. While direct forms of contact such as phone calls, social media outreach, and email were useful for retaining more stable participants, less stable participants required extensive field-based efforts such as home and site visits that increase the likelihood of random encounters. Overall, adjusted retention exceeded 70% for the duration of the 12-month study. Participants who were younger, recently experienced homelessness, and injected drugs daily were less likely to have completed all or most follow-up visits. Conclusion: Retention of street-based female sex workers required the simultaneous use of diverse retention strategies that were tailored to participant characteristics. With familiarity of the dynamic nature of the study population characteristics, resources can be appropriately allocated to the most likely method(s) of successful retention.

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USE OF SMARTPHONE AMONG ANAESTHESIOLOGIST DURING ANAESTHESIA INTERFERES WITH PATIENT CARE: A SURVEY

10.36106/gjra/0307649 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 23-25

Author(s):

Sandeep V D ◽

Kiran N

Keyword(s):

Patient Care ◽

Smart Phone ◽

Smart Phones ◽

Cognitive Tasks ◽

Operation Theatre ◽

Personal Lives ◽

Phone Calls ◽

Intraoperative Period ◽

Behavioural Performance ◽

Study Participants

Introduction: Usage of smart phones have become an integral part of the professional and personal lives of the population worldwide. Though the usage of smart phones applications has increased the efciency in the workplace, it can also be a signicant distraction to the patient care. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether the use of smart phone among anesthetists during patient care improves or provides distraction in patient care. Results: The present study has shown that the prevalence of smart phone usage was 85.7%. The purpose of smart phone usage in increasing order of their frequency was internet surng, phone calls, Messaging and usage of social media. Only 33.3% of the hospitals in which the study participants work had smart phone usage restriction inside the operation theatre and 27.6% had restriction except for communications. Conclusion: Smartphone usage result in increased reaction time, decreased focus and reduced behavioural performance during cognitive tasks. Hence its usage has to be strictly needed basis during the intraoperative period.

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Using Facebook to Maximize Follow-Up Response Rates in a Longitudinal Study of Adults who use Methamphetamine

Substance Abuse Research and Treatment ◽

10.4137/sart.s8485 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. SART.S8485 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Franklin Bolanos ◽

Diane Herbeck ◽

Dayna Christou ◽

Katherine Lovinger ◽

Aurora Pham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Effective Means ◽

Response Rates ◽

Study Participation ◽

Regulatory Issues ◽

Phone Calls ◽

Follow Up Studies ◽

Study Participants ◽

Cognitive Problems

This study examines the process and effects of using facebook (FB) to locate and re-contact study participants targeted for follow up in a longitudinal study of adult methamphetamine users (N = 649). A follow-up interview was conducted in 2009–11 approximately 8 years after previous study participation. Our paper describes re-contact efforts involving FB, including IRB regulatory issues and the effectiveness of using FB compared to mailings and phone calls. A total of 48 of the 551 surviving non-incarcerated participants who agreed to be contacted for follow up studies were contacted via FB, of whom 11 completed the follow-up interview. Those contacted through FB were more likely to be younger, female, relocated out-of-state, and reported somewhat higher rates of anxiety and cognitive problems compared to those not located on FB. Although participants contacted through FB are likely to differ demographically from those contacted by phone or mail, FB provides a potentially effective means to expand conventional methods of correspondence for contacting hard to reach participants.

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LCMS Measurement of Steroid Biomarkers Collected from Palmar Sweat.

10.26434/chemrxiv.12931769 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob Hyde ◽

J. Ray Runyon

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Liquid Chromatography ◽

Real World ◽

Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Selected Ion Monitoring ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Stress Task ◽

Monitoring Study ◽

Study Participants ◽

Sweat Collection

<div>Human eccrine sweat contains numerous biomarkers which can provide information on health,</div><div>performance, and aging. Non-invasive collection and measurement of biomarkers has become</div><div>especially important in recent times given viral outbreaks like SARS-CoV-2. In the current study</div><div>we describe a method of sweat collection from palmar surfaces in participants via surface capture</div><div>using glass beads and the resulting analysis of biomarkers from very low volumes of sweat using</div><div>liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. Study participants</div><div>underwent a cognitive and physical stress task with easy and hard conditions with sweat being</div><div>collected after each task. Resulting analysis found a signal for 22 steroid biomarkers and we</div><div>report detailed information on selected biomarkers, given their applicability to timely real-world</div><div>exemplars, including cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, allopregnanolone, estrone, aldosterone,</div><div>and 20a/b-dihydrocortisone.</div><div><br></div>

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Development of an Electronic Data Collection System to Support a Large-Scale HIV Behavioral Intervention Trial: Protocol for an Electronic Data Collection System (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.10777 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

W Scott Comulada ◽

Wenze Tang ◽

Dallas Swendeman ◽

Amy Cooper ◽

Jeremy Wacksman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Data Security ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Large Scale ◽

Text Messages ◽

Intervention Trial ◽

Electronic Data ◽

Electronic Data Collection ◽

Intervention Delivery ◽

Study Participants

BACKGROUND Advancing technology has increased functionality and permitted more complex study designs for behavioral interventions. Investigators need to keep pace with these technological advances for electronic data capture (EDC) systems to be appropriately executed and utilized at full capacity in research settings. Mobile technology allows EDC systems to collect near real-time data from study participants, deliver intervention directly to participants’ mobile devices, monitor staff activity, and facilitate near real-time decision making during study implementation. OBJECTIVE This paper presents the infrastructure of an EDC system designed to support a multisite HIV biobehavioral intervention trial in Los Angeles and New Orleans: the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network “Comprehensive Adolescent Research & Engagement Studies” (ATN CARES). We provide an overview of how multiple EDC functions can be integrated into a single EDC system to support large-scale intervention trials. METHODS The CARES EDC system is designed to monitor and document multiple study functions, including, screening, recruitment, retention, intervention delivery, and outcome assessment. Text messaging (short message service, SMS) and nearly all data collection are supported by the EDC system. The system functions on mobile phones, tablets, and Web browsers. RESULTS ATN CARES is enrolling study participants and collecting baseline and follow-up data through the EDC system. Besides data collection, the EDC system is being used to generate multiple reports that inform recruitment planning, budgeting, intervention quality, and field staff supervision. The system is supporting both incoming and outgoing text messages (SMS) and offers high-level data security. Intervention design details are also influenced by EDC system platform capabilities and constraints. Challenges of using EDC systems are addressed through programming updates and training on how to improve data quality. CONCLUSIONS There are three key considerations in the development of an EDC system for an intervention trial. First, it needs to be decided whether the flexibility provided by the development of a study-specific, in-house EDC system is needed relative to the utilization of an existing commercial platform that requires less in-house programming expertise. Second, a single EDC system may not provide all functionality. ATN CARES is using a main EDC system for data collection, text messaging (SMS) interventions, and case management and a separate Web-based platform to support an online peer support intervention. Decisions need to be made regarding the functionality that is crucial for the EDC system to handle and what functionality can be handled by other systems. Third, data security is a priority but needs to be balanced with the need for flexible intervention delivery. For example, ATN CARES is delivering text messages (SMS) to study participants’ mobile phones. EDC data security protocols should be developed under guidance from security experts and with formative consulting with the target study population as to their perceptions and needs. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR PRR1-10.2196/10777

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LCMS Measurement of Steroid Biomarkers Collected from Palmar Sweat.

10.26434/chemrxiv.12931769.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob Hyde ◽

J. Ray Runyon

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

Liquid Chromatography ◽

Real World ◽

Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Selected Ion Monitoring ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Stress Task ◽

Monitoring Study ◽

Study Participants ◽

Sweat Collection

<div>Human eccrine sweat contains numerous biomarkers which can provide information on health,</div><div>performance, and aging. Non-invasive collection and measurement of biomarkers has become</div><div>especially important in recent times given viral outbreaks like SARS-CoV-2. In the current study</div><div>we describe a method of sweat collection from palmar surfaces in participants via surface capture</div><div>using glass beads and the resulting analysis of biomarkers from very low volumes of sweat using</div><div>liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. Study participants</div><div>underwent a cognitive and physical stress task with easy and hard conditions with sweat being</div><div>collected after each task. Resulting analysis found a signal for 22 steroid biomarkers and we</div><div>report detailed information on selected biomarkers, given their applicability to timely real-world</div><div>exemplars, including cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, allopregnanolone, estrone, aldosterone,</div><div>and 20a/b-dihydrocortisone.</div><div><br></div>

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