Using Internet Resources to Locate Women for Longitudinal Research
Author Information
Author(s): Suzanne M Cadarette, Leigh Dickson, Monique AM Gignac, Dorcas E Beaton, Susan B Jaglal, Gillian A Hawker
Primary Institution: Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Canada
Hypothesis
Having the listed name for telephone numbers identified through a prior Internet search would facilitate locating women.
Conclusion
Using Internet resources at recruitment can help locate women who require tracing, thereby improving response rates in longitudinal studies.
Supporting Evidence
- 49% of women requiring tracing were located using publicly available methods.
- Younger age and residing in less densely populated areas were predictors of being located.
- Vital statistics linkages helped identify some deceased individuals but were incomplete.
Takeaway
The study shows that using the Internet can help find older women for research, making it easier to keep in touch with them over time.
Methodology
Random samples of women aged 65–89 were selected, and logistic regression was used to examine predictors of locating them.
Potential Biases
Potential for misidentification of participants during tracing efforts.
Limitations
The study did not document the exact strategy that resulted in locating each woman.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 65–89 years from two regions of Ontario, Canada.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.31–3.46
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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