Participant Experience in Longitudinal Research

Key Takeaways:

During this presentation, Dr. Faro will provide an overview of the current research on participant experience in longitudinal research. She will also present the analysis and results of the “Characterizing Participant Experience in Longitudinal Research: How and Why Engagement Matters in the ECHO Program” research. Positive experiences in research are multidimensional. Respectful, family-centered interpersonal relationships with staff, as well as practical aspects such as efficient scheduling, manageable survey lengths, and clear communication, are equally crucial for maintaining engagement and satisfaction. Finally, Dr. Faro will reflect on how the current participant engagement work in ECHO Cycle 2 reflects and attends to these principles.

Elissa Z Faro, PhD
Manager, Associate Member
Center for Discovery & Innovation @ Hackensack Meridian Health
Associate Professor | Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Biography:

Dr. Elissa Zoe Faro is a medical anthropologist and implementation scientist at the Center for Discovery and Innovation, where her research focuses on improving healthcare delivery and outcomes for underserved populations in the U.S. and globally. She applies ethnographic and mixed‑methods research to understand contextual factors influencing real‑world practice and to bridge the gap between evidence‑based interventions and their implementation in clinical, public health, and community settings. Her work spans diverse areas, including pediatric emergency care, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health implementation, and health equity. In addition to her Participant Engagement and Evaluation work on ECHO, Dr. Faro currently serves as the contact Principal Investigator for an NIMH‑funded R01 three-variable hybrid implementation-effectiveness-context trial and as a Senior Implementation Scientist for the NIH IMPROVE initiative, both focused on improving maternal health outcomes. She has held academic appointments at institutions including the University of Iowa, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dartmouth College, and Brown University.

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