Non-response and attrition in longitudinal studies

The paper from Taanila and colleagues1 examined the association of cohort study participation with self-reported health and well-being. It hypothesised that participation in cohort studies had a positive impact on self-reported health and well-being. The authors indeed found that those who participated more actively, especially among women, tended to have better self-reported health and well-being. However, as an analysis of association, the causal directionality cannot be established. We could also interpret the observed associations from an opposite perspective, asking the question if health and well-being have any impact on cohort study participation. This would touch on the topic of non-response and attrition. In longitudinal studies, non-response typically refers to initial non-response at the first wave of data collection; whereas attrition can be seen as non-response at later waves due to, for example, death, contact failure, inability to respond or refusal.2 Non-response and attrition...

Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health - November 10, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Bu, F. Tags: Commentaries Source Type: research