Improving Recruitment for a Newborn Screening Pilot Study with Adaptations in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

by Julia Wynn,Norma P. Tavakoli,Niki Armstrong,Jacqueline Gomez,Carrie Koval,Christina Lai,Stephanie Tang,Andrea Quevedo Prince,Yeyson Quevedo,Katrina Rufino,Laura Palacio Morales,Angela Pena,Sharon Grossman,Mary Monfiletto,Erika Ruda,Vania Jimenez,Lorraine Verdade,Ashley Jones,Michelle G. Barriga,Nandanee Karan,add Show full author list
Int. J. Neonatal Screen. 2022, 8(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijns8020023 - 22 Mar 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3303
Abstract
Seven months after the launch of a pilot study to screen newborns for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in New York State, New York City became an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. All in-person research activities were suspended at the study enrollment institutions of Northwell Health and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitals, and study recruitment was transitioned to 100% remote. Pre-pandemic, all recruitment was in-person with research staff visiting the postpartum patients 1–2 days after delivery to obtain consent. With the onset of pandemic, the multilingual research staff shifted to calling new mothers while they were in the hospital or shortly after discharge, and consent was collected via emailed e-consent links. With return of study staff to the hospitals, a hybrid approach was implemented with in-person recruitment for babies delivered during the weekdays and remote recruitment for babies delivered on weekends and holidays, a cohort not recruited pre-pandemic. There was a drop in the proportion of eligible babies enrolled with the transition to fully remote recruitment from 64% to 38%. In addition, the proportion of babies enrolled after being approached dropped from 91% to 55%. With hybrid recruitment, the proportion of eligible babies enrolled (70%) and approached babies enrolled (84%) returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our experience adapting our study during the COVID-19 pandemic led us to develop new recruitment strategies that we continue to utilize. The lessons learned from this pilot study can serve to help other research studies adapt novel and effective recruitment methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact on Newborn Screening Research, Clinical Care and Public Health)
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