Ethnic/race differences in the attrition of older American survey respondents: implications for health-related research.

TitleEthnic/race differences in the attrition of older American survey respondents: implications for health-related research.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsZhivan, NA, Ang, A, Amaro, H, Vega, WA, Markides, KS
JournalHealth Serv Res
Volume47
Issue1 Pt 1
Pagination241-54
Date Published2012 Feb
ISSN Number1475-6773
KeywordsBias, ethnicity, Female, Health Care Surveys, Health Services Research, Health Surveys, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Mexican Americans, Middle Aged, Racial Groups, Risk, Socioeconomic factors, United States
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare models of attrition across race/ethnic groups of aging populations and discuss implications for health-related research.

DATA SOURCES: The Health and Retirement Study (1992-2008).

STUDY DESIGN: A competing risks model was estimated using a multinomial logit model when respondents faced competing types of risks, such as dying, being lost from the study, and nonresponse in some years for different groups of elderly. Key explanatory variables were foreign birth, health insurance, and health status.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Variables describing foreign birth, health insurance, and health status differed in their prediction of attrition across ethnic groups of aging populations.

CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the predictors of attrition across ethnic groups of elderly could potentially lead to biased estimates in health-related research using longitudinal data sources.

DOI10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01322.x
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22091976?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Socioeconomic Differences/ethnicity/Attrition/Nonresponse/methodology

Endnote ID

62686

Alternate JournalHealth Serv Res
Citation Key7682
PubMed ID22091976
PubMed Central IDPMC3447243