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Methodological Challenges in Online Trials

Murray, E; Khadjesari, Z; White, IR; Kalaitzaki, E; Godfrey, C; McCambridge, J; Thompson, SG; (2009) Methodological Challenges in Online Trials. J MED INTERNET RES , 11 (2) , Article e9. 10.2196/jmir.1052. Green open access

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Abstract

Health care and health care services are increasingly being delivered over the Internet. There is a strong argument that interventions delivered online should also be evaluated online to maximize the trial's external validity. Conducting a trial online can help reduce research costs and improve some aspects of internal validity. To date, there are relatively few trials of health interventions that have been conducted entirely online. In this paper we describe the major methodological issues that arise in trials (recruitment, randomization, fidelity of the intervention, retention, and data quality), consider how the online context affects these issues, and use our experience of one online trial evaluating an intervention to help hazardous drinkers drink less (DownYourDrink) to illustrate potential solutions. Further work is needed to develop online trial methodology.

Type: Article
Title: Methodological Challenges in Online Trials
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.2196/jmir.1052
Publisher version: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC27627...
Keywords: Internet, randomized controlled trial, research design, alcohol drinking, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIAL, ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION, CLINICAL-TRIALS, HAZARDOUS DRINKING, INTERNET, INTERVENTION, WEIGHT, HEALTH, PARTICIPATION, RECRUITMENT
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Inst of Clinical Trials and Methodology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Primary Care and Population Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/18738
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