Successful research studies start by building community through trust and gratitude

The key to any successful longitudinal research study lies in the invaluable contributions of its participants—those members of your community who volunteer their time, energy, and life experiences.

Fortunately, the College of Public Health is a trusted member of the local community. For the ECHO leadership team, consisting of Kathi Huddleston, PhD (PI), Grace Lawrence, PhD (Director), and Alma Fuller (Manager), building lasting relationships with study participants is paramount. To foster community and express gratitude, we organized a participant appreciation event towards the end of summer.

Did Someone Say Ice Cream?

The ECHO research staff warmly welcomed over one hundred participants and their families with festive balloon arches, a treasure table, an arts station, complimentary school backpacks, and ice cream to beat the summer heat. This gathering not only allowed us to build deeper connections in the community and say thanks - but also served as a valuable opportunity to complete necessary participant tasks for the study.

Celebrating Connection and Engagement

The participant appreciation event transformed into a heartfelt reunion for families—some of whom recognized each other from their experiences at Inova during childbirth. Two mothers from the same moms’ group hadn’t seen one another since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their emotional reconnection showcased the community spirit we strive to cultivate. These moments of warmth and shared history are integral to the fabric of our study.

Participants invest significant time, effort, and personal information to advance research. Acknowledging their contributions fosters mutual respect and encourages ongoing engagement. Simple gestures—thank-you notes, certificates, and tangible tokens of gratitude—reinforce the message that their involvement is deeply valued.

During the event, our research staff conveyed the importance of their continued participation in person, emphasizing how ECHO has become the largest study of children’s health, with harmonized data from over 60,000 participants nationwide. This extensive collaboration has led to more than 1,800 publications utilizing ECHO data, demonstrating our commitment to impactful research.

Keeping Participants Engaged

Recruiting participants is only the beginning; retaining them is equally crucial. High withdrawal rates can compromise the integrity of our data, so creating a participant-centric experience is essential for maintaining engagement.

Here are some strategies employed by the ECHO team at Mason:

1. Ongoing Communication: We send birthday cards, Thanksgiving greetings, and holiday wishes monthly to maintain connections and keep address information updated. Participants also receive electronic summaries of ECHO research results, ensuring they stay informed about our progress.
2. Flexibility: Accommodating participants' schedules, offering remote participation options, and minimizing time commitments help reduce barriers to continued involvement. We provide Saturday appointments for research visits and have mailed weighing scales and measuring tapes to 409 participants for remote physical measurements.
3. Incentives: To encourage continued engagement, we offer compensation for participants' time. Gift cards are distributed electronically by the 15th of each month as reimbursement for time spent completing surveys, physical measurements, and submitting biological specimens.

The personal connections fostered during our appreciation event have made a significant difference in participant responsiveness and follow-up. Valuing participants at every stage of the research process strengthens our study and cultivates a positive, inclusive experience for everyone involved.

This collaborative program at Mason operates in partnership with the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine and Boston Children’s Hospital, further enhancing our commitment to being a trusted partner in the community.