Lessons learned from the MOMENT study on how to recruit and retain a target population online, across borders, and with automated remote data collection.
PLoS One
; 19(9): e0307440, 2024.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39283903
ABSTRACT
Increasingly, studies use social media to recruit, enroll, and collect data from participants. This introduces a threat to data integrity efforts to produce fraudulent data to receive participant compensation, e.g., gift cards. MOMENT is an online symptom-monitoring and self-care study that implemented safeguards to protect data integrity. Facebook, Twitter, and patient organizations were used to recruit participants with chronic health conditions in four countries (USA, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden). Links to the REDCap baseline survey were posted to social media accounts. The initial study launch, where participants completed the baseline survey and were automatically re-directed to the LifeData ecological momentary assessment app, was overwhelmed with fraudulent responses. In response, safeguards (e.g., reCAPTCHA, attention checks) were implemented and baseline data was manually inspected prior to LifeData enrollment. The initial launch resulted in 411 responses in 48 hours, 265 of which (64.5%) successfully registered for the LifeData app and were considered enrolled. Ninety-nine percent of these were determined to be fraudulent. Following implementation of safeguards, the re-launch yielded 147 completed baselines in 3.5 months. Eighteen cases (12.2%) were found fraudulent and not invited to enroll. Most fraudulent cases in the re-launch (15 of 18) were identified by a single attention check question. In total, 96.1% of fraudulent responses were to the USA-based survey. Data integrity safeguards are necessary for research studies that recruit online and should be reported in manuscripts. Three safeguard strategies were effective in preventing and removing most of the fraudulent data in the MOMENT study. Additional strategies were also used and may be necessary in other contexts.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Recolección de Datos
/
Medios de Comunicación Sociales
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
/
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PLoS One
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos