Recruiting and retaining participants in e-Delphi surveys for core outcome set development: Evaluating the COMiT'ID...

Area of Science:

• Health Research Methodology
• Clinical Trial Design
• Patient Engagement

Background:

• Core Outcome Sets (COS) standardize outcome reporting in clinical trials.
• e-Delphi surveys are increasingly used for COS development, consulting diverse stakeholders.
• Participant recruitment and retention pose challenges in international COS studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate recruitment and retention methods in the Core Outcome Measures in Tinnitus International Delphi (COMiT'ID) study.
• To identify effective strategies for engaging healthcare users and professionals in COS development.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving e-Delphi survey participation.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was used, combining e-Delphi survey rounds with participant feedback.
• Recruitment utilized various strategies, including personalized email invitations.
• Retention was monitored across three e-Delphi rounds, with feedback collected via a 20-item questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Personalized email invitations were the most successful recruitment method, engaging 719 participants.
• Retention rates ranged from 76% to 91% across stakeholder groups.
• The majority of respondents (379) were satisfied with retention methods and felt their contributions were valued.

Conclusions:

• Personalized recruitment and demonstrating participant appreciation are key to successful e-Delphi surveys for COS development.
• Effective strategies can overcome common barriers like language and time commitment.
• Findings contribute to best practices in developing robust Core Outcome Sets.