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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Dec 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Public Health Dent. 2016 Oct 19;77(1):63–77. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12182

Table 3b.

CNOHR–II (ordered from top to bottom, most effective to least effective, and graded A to D)

Retention Strategy Description Start End Strengths Weaknesses
Mailed letters
A
Letters sent to caregivers notifying them of the fall data collection and the times staff would be in their community. Letters were sent to secondary contacts if first attempt unsuccessful. Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2014
Winter 2012
July 2012
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
Letters with study logo went to specific participant. Families moved/ changed address; didn’t assess if caregiver received/read letters
Home Visits
B
Families were given the option of a home visit for final data-collection event. Fall 2014 Winter 2014 Convenient for families; provided flexible after-school times for children and after-work times for caregivers. Additional cost for travel. Difficult to find participant homes; non-productive use of staff time to find/travel to home; occasionally families not home when staff arrived.
Phone calls
B
Phone numbers of participants and secondary contacts were collected at enrollment and confirmed/updated at each data collection event. Team members called families to communicate study-related events. Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2014
Winter 2012
July 2012
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
Working telephone numbers provided a method of communication with participants. If participant was not home—family member passed on message. Some phones out of service/disconnected, out of service-range; calls not always answered; some participants preferred to be texted
Phone texting
B
Study staff would text messages regarding study-related activities Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2014
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
Economical way for participants to receive study information; efficient use of cell-phone minutes Difficult to track if messages received and/or ignored.
Fliers
C
Head Start teachers sent home generic study fliers to children to give to caregivers with date/time of study recruitment/enrollment events. Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Winter 2012
July 2012
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
Fliers did not require a specific participant address. Not sure if caregiver received/read flier.
Events at Chapter Houses
C
Conducting enrollment/retention events at Chapter Houses. Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Winter 2012
July 2012
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
Use of Chapter Houses provided a community location with which participants were familiar; demonstrated community support of the project; some Chapter Houses waived the usual-use fee for the use of the space. Little to no flexibility of the time and date of the event; time/date not always convenient for participants; required families to get own transportation to event; loss of productive staff time if no or few families showed; some Chapter Houses closed at 5:00; other community events occasionally superseded our events
Booths at local fairs/community events
C
Staff would attend/rent booth at local community fairs/pow-wow Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2014
Winter 2012
July 2012
Winter 2013
Winter 2014
Took advantage of large community events that most members of community attended; used materials with logo to help community members identify project. Many other activities happening at events at the same time.
Newspaper ads
C
An insert was put into the local newspapers Fall 2013 n/a Broad distribution to community members Few participants saw fliers.
Word of mouth
C
Head Start teachers contacted participants on occasion; participants occasionally notified others regarding study Throughout project Throughout project Personal communication with community member Difficult to track these activities.
Fliers sent home by Elementary School Teachers
D
Elementary school teachers sent home generic fliers with kindergarten and first grade children Fall 2014 Winter 2014 Reach out to children once graduated out of Head Start Children graduated into > 100 different schools; difficult to assess if caregiver received flier.