Recommended Citation
Afshan T, Kulkarni A, Blackshere T, Smith J, Tesson E, Hartert T, Rivera-Spoljaric K, Zoratti E, Joseph C, Gern J, and Singh AM. Childhood Allergy and the NeOnatal Environment (CANOE) Research Protocol and Recruitment Redesign during the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022; 149(2):AB7.
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2-2022
Publication Title
J Allergy Clin Immunol
Abstract
Rationale: Recruitment for research studies is a challenging endeavor that has been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While clinical research was temporarily halted due to the pandemic, it was hypothesized that study and recruitment restructuring would enable brisk enrollment when research resumed.
Methods: A new NIH/ECHO-supported multi-center birth cohort, “Childhood Allergy and the NeOnatal Environment” (CANOE) was launched in January 2019 across four sites to determine how pre-, peri-, and post-natal factors influence development of recurrent wheezing and atopic dermatitis. Study recruitment was halted for nine months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which recruitment and study procedures were redesigned.
Results: Recruitment strategies were modified to limit in-person contact, shifting toward alternative HIPAA-compliant methods like clinician referrals, institutional social media, and telemedicine consenting. Protocol changes included reducing frequency of in-person visits, leveraging clinical care visits to collect bio-samples, expanded self-collection of samples at home, and posting study materials online. Recruitment rates range from 3-12 families per month per site. In-clinic recruitment with modifications for social distancing has been successful across all sites. Other successful strategies have included targeted social media posts, mailed letters, and email. Rates of consent have been similar across recruitment strategies and the implementation of multiple recruitment strategies has yielded the highest rates of ongoing consent and enrollment of mother-infant dyads.
Conclusions: Study procedures that prioritize health and safety measures such as social distancing, study participant convenience, and diversification of recruitment strategies enable continued birth cohort recruitment and data collection while adhering to public health restrictions during the pandemic.
Volume
149
Issue
2
First Page
AB7
