Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Many evaluations depend on follow-up interviews, and low attrition rates can help strengthen internal and external validity. The process of locating participants can consume significant evaluation resources. The World Wide Web is an inexpensive tracking tool offering cost-effective and time-saving access to several information networks and agencies that may provide information on program participants. The use of the World Wide Web as a tracking tool is illustrated by describing its application during follow-up work in the evaluation of a substance abuse treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women. This article serves as a guide to location-related links and their potential applications with a variety of participant groups.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Borasky, D. V. (1998, March/April). Researching people on the net. On-Line, 22(2), 55-59.

Brake, D. (1997, June 28). Lost in cyberspace: Large areas of the World Wide Web are ignored by the search engines that most surfers rely on. Should they be doing better? New Scientist, 2088(12), 12-13.

Chu, H. , & Rosenthal, M. (1996). Search engines for the world wide web: A comparative study and evaluation methodology. Proceedings of the ASIS annual meeting, 33, 127-135.

Cottler, L. , Compton, W. , Ben-Abdallah, A. , Horne, M. , & Claverie, D. (1996). Achieving a 96.6 percent follow-up rate in a longitudinal study of drug abusers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 41(3), 209-217.

Desmond, D. P. , Maddux, J. F. , Johnson, T. H. , & Confer, B. A. (1995). Obtaining follow-up interviews for treatment evaluation. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 12(2), 95-102.

Kolata, G. (1998, April 9). It’s confirmed: Web’s size bogs down searches. New York Times, p.3.

LaPorte, D. J. , McLellan, A. T. , Erdlen, F. R. , & Parente, R. J. (1981). Treatment outcome as a function of follow-up difficulty in substance abusers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49(1), 112-119.

Lawrence, S. , & Giles, C. L. (1998, April 3). Searching the world wide web. Science, 280(5360), 98-100.

Ribisl, K. M. , Walton, M. A. , Mowbray, C. T. , Luke, D. A. , Davidson II, W. S. , & Bootsmiller, B. J. (1996). Minimizing participant attrition in panel studies through the use of effective retention and tracking strategies: Review and recommendations. Evaluation and Program Planning, 19(1), 1-25.

10.

Streissguth, A. P. , & Giunta, C. T. (1992). Methodological issues in epidemiological, prevention, and treatment research on drug-exposed women and their children. NIDA Research Monograph, 117, 137-154.

11.

Wright, J. D. , Allen, T. L. , & Devine, J. A. (1995). Tracking non-traditional populations in longitudinal studies. Evaluation and Program Planning, 18(3), 267-277.

12.

Ziek, K. , Beardsley, M. , Deren, S. , & Tortu, S. (1996). Predictors of follow-up in a sample of urban crack users. Evaluation and Program Planning, 19(3), 219-224.

A Low-Cost Follow-Up Resource: Using the World Wide Web to Maximize Client Location Efforts

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References