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ABSTRACT: Background
Nonresponse bias in a longitudinal study could affect the magnitude and direction of measures of association. We identified sociodemographic, behavioral, military, and health-related predictors of response to the first follow-up questionnaire in a large military cohort and assessed the extent to which nonresponse biased measures of association.Methods
Data are from the baseline and first follow-up survey of the Millennium Cohort Study. Seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five eligible individuals completed the baseline survey and were presumed alive at the time of follow-up; of these, 54,960 (71.6%) completed the first follow-up survey. Logistic regression models were used to calculate inverse probability weights using propensity scores.Results
Characteristics associated with a greater probability of response included female gender, older age, higher education level, officer rank, active-duty status, and a self-reported history of military exposures. Ever smokers, those with a history of chronic alcohol consumption or a major depressive disorder, and those separated from the military at follow-up had a lower probability of response. Nonresponse to the follow-up questionnaire did not result in appreciable bias; bias was greatest in subgroups with small numbers.Conclusions
These findings suggest that prospective analyses from this cohort are not substantially biased by non-response at the first follow-up assessment.
SUBMITTER: Littman AJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2984503 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Littman Alyson J AJ Boyko Edward J EJ Jacobson Isabel G IG Horton Jaime J Gackstetter Gary D GD Smith Besa B Hooper Tomoko T Wells Timothy S TS Amoroso Paul J PJ Smith Tyler C TC
BMC medical research methodology 20101021
<h4>Background</h4>Nonresponse bias in a longitudinal study could affect the magnitude and direction of measures of association. We identified sociodemographic, behavioral, military, and health-related predictors of response to the first follow-up questionnaire in a large military cohort and assessed the extent to which nonresponse biased measures of association.<h4>Methods</h4>Data are from the baseline and first follow-up survey of the Millennium Cohort Study. Seventy-six thousand, seven hundr ...[more]