Methods for Tracking Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents

Abstract

This article provides descriptive information on procedures used to successfully follow a sample of 241 premaritally pregnant urban adolescents participating in a longitudinal study of drug use patterns. Respondents were interviewed once during pregnancy, with subsequent interviews at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months after pregnancy resolution. Only 1 respondent refused to continue in the study, and temporary attrition due to inability to locate respondents was only 1% to 3% at each wave of data collection. Successful methods for sample recruitment and retention are discussed, emphasizing a multimethod approach.