A. Gaye Cummins, PhD (abd)¹, Patricia Dolan Mullen², Mary M. Velasquez, PhD³, and Kirk Von Sternberg, PhD (abd)³. (1) School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, UCT 2528, 7000 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030, 713-500-9644, cummins@uhcl.edu, (2) Center for Health Promotion Research and Development, School of Public Health, University of Texas-Houston, Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, (3) Medical School, University of Texas-Houston, UT Health Science Center, 6431 Fannin Street JJL 324, Houston, TX 77030

Maintaining contact with study participants is a key element in longitudinal research. Losing contact can reduce study power and generalizability or even result in differential composition of the study groups. Recruiting jail inmates to evaluation studies of programs designed to address the many risk factors prevalent in this group is easy, with so few competing activities; behavior in the freeworld, however, is needed to show convincing evidence of program effectiveness. This paper reports on 3- and 6-month post-release follow-up for women at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy before jail who joined an RCT aimed at reducing alcohol and/or preventing pregnancy after jail. Tracking efforts included requiring third party locators; calls and letters; monetary incentives; use of internet jail census lists to locate re-incarcerated participants; flexibility in scheduling, location and format of interviews; on-going staff training and problem solving; an 800 number answered 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, free voice mail, and a “release pack” with personal items, bus tokens, and study contact information at release. Overall, 67% completed 3-month interviews (intervention group=64%, information group=72%), and 55%, 6-month interviews (intervention group=52%, information group=60%). Preliminary analyses indicate that a high score on alcohol dependence, being Hispanic or Black, out of work <1 year, and numerous previous convictions increased the likelihood of completing a follow-up interview. We discuss possible reasons for drop out and also look at the impact of personal characteristics and previous drug use on follow-up rates.

Learning Objectives:

The participant will
• recognize efforts required to successfully follow-up with hard-to-reach populations, and
• identify succesful strategies for tracking.

Keywords: Criminal Justice, Alcohol Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.