TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors Associated with Attrition of Adult Participants in a Longitudinal Database
T2 - A National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Burn Model System Study
AU - Bamer, Alyssa M.
AU - McMullen, Kara
AU - Gibran, Nicole
AU - Holavanahalli, Radha
AU - Schneider, Jeffrey C.
AU - Carrougher, Gretchen J.
AU - Wiechman, Shelley
AU - Wolfe, Audrey
AU - Amtmann, Dagmar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Burn Association 2019. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/2/19
Y1 - 2020/2/19
N2 - Participant attrition in longitudinal studies can lead to substantial bias in study results, especially when attrition is nonrandom. A previous study of the Burn Model System (BMS) database prior to 2002 identified participant and study-related factors related to attrition. The purpose of the current study was to examine changes in attrition rates in the BMS longitudinal database since 2002 and to revisit factors associated with attrition. Individuals 18 years and older enrolled in the BMS database between 2002 and 2018 were included in this study. Stepwise logistic regression models identified factors significantly associated with attrition at 6, 12, and 24 months postburn injury. The percentage of individuals lost to follow-up was 26% at 6 months, 33% at 12 months, and 42% at 24 months. Factors associated with increased risk of loss to follow-up across two or more time points include male sex, lower TBSA burn size, being unemployed at the time of burn, shorter duration of acute hospital stay, younger age, not having private health insurance or workers' compensation, and a history of drug abuse. Retention levels in the BMS have improved by at least 10% at all time points since 2002. The BMS and other longitudinal burn research projects can use these results to identify individuals at high risk for attrition who may require additional retention efforts. Results also indicate potential sources of bias in research projects utilizing the BMS database.
AB - Participant attrition in longitudinal studies can lead to substantial bias in study results, especially when attrition is nonrandom. A previous study of the Burn Model System (BMS) database prior to 2002 identified participant and study-related factors related to attrition. The purpose of the current study was to examine changes in attrition rates in the BMS longitudinal database since 2002 and to revisit factors associated with attrition. Individuals 18 years and older enrolled in the BMS database between 2002 and 2018 were included in this study. Stepwise logistic regression models identified factors significantly associated with attrition at 6, 12, and 24 months postburn injury. The percentage of individuals lost to follow-up was 26% at 6 months, 33% at 12 months, and 42% at 24 months. Factors associated with increased risk of loss to follow-up across two or more time points include male sex, lower TBSA burn size, being unemployed at the time of burn, shorter duration of acute hospital stay, younger age, not having private health insurance or workers' compensation, and a history of drug abuse. Retention levels in the BMS have improved by at least 10% at all time points since 2002. The BMS and other longitudinal burn research projects can use these results to identify individuals at high risk for attrition who may require additional retention efforts. Results also indicate potential sources of bias in research projects utilizing the BMS database.
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U2 - 10.1093/jbcr/irz186
DO - 10.1093/jbcr/irz186
M3 - Article
C2 - 31738436
AN - SCOPUS:85080840922
SN - 1559-047X
VL - 41
SP - 270
EP - 279
JO - Journal of Burn Care and Research
JF - Journal of Burn Care and Research
IS - 2
ER -