Children's satisfaction with a comprehensive study program-Results from the LIFE Child cohort study.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric research
• Longitudinal cohort studies
• Health services research

Background:

• Participant satisfaction is crucial in longitudinal studies and healthcare quality management.
• While adult studies explored factors influencing satisfaction, research on pediatric participants is limited.
• Understanding children's experiences is vital for successful cohort studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess children's satisfaction with a study day in a large German longitudinal cohort study (LIFE Child).
• To investigate associations between children's ratings, sociodemographic/socioeconomic factors, and study retention.
• To identify factors influencing participation in follow-up visits.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 2033 participants aged 4-17 years in the LIFE Child cohort study.
• Logistic mixed-effects models used to assess associations between overall satisfaction and various factors.
• Key variables included age, sex, BMI, socioeconomic status, and follow-up visit attendance.

Main Results:

• Overall satisfaction with the study day was high (67.8% reported "very good").
• Satisfaction was higher in 7-12 year olds compared to younger and older age groups.
• High satisfaction at the initial visit predicted higher attendance at follow-up visits (OR 1.32).

Conclusions:

• High participant satisfaction positively influences attendance at follow-up visits, enhancing retention.
• Adapting study programs to children's needs can maximize retention and minimize attrition.
• Findings offer insights for optimizing pediatric longitudinal study design and participant engagement.