Recruitment and retention of hard-to-reach populations into research studies

Presenter

Tania Patrao - PhD Confirmation Review milestone presentation

Overview

Issues surrounding recruitment, retention and attrition cause challenges for all longitudinal study researchers, and especially so when the focus of the study concerns marginalised populations. Marginalised or “hidden” populations can be defined as those excluded from mainstream social, economic, cultural or political life including but not limited to, groups. The aim of my thesis is to investigate which recruitment and retention strategies optimise sample size in longitudinal studies of marginalised populations, and to develop statistical methods to mitigate the impact of attrition in longitudinal studies. This research will influence the establishment of future research cohorts and will establish new methods that will potentially lead to less biased and more reliable effect estimates in studies with low recruitment and retention. 

Brief Bio

Tania is a PhD student at the School of Public Health, The University of Queensland. Tania is supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) and funding from the Burnet Institute-based CRE in Injecting Drug Use. She has over 6 years’ experience in the health sector, working on projects in cancer, cardiovascular disease, intellectual disability, problem gambling, suicide and primary health care. Tania is currently working in Indigenous Health at the Menzies School of Health Research. Tania was awarded a Master of International Public Health in 2009 and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 2005.