title: Characteristics of non-participants and reasons for non-participation in a population survey in Kin-Hu, Kinmen.
abstract: The aim was to characterize non-participants and to investigate reasons for non-participation in a health survey in Kin-Hu township, Kinmen, Republic of China. The non-participants represented 25.6% of the target population of 4,451 registered residents aged 30 and older. Baseline demographic characteristics and two-year mortality for the participants and non-participants were compared. A house-to-house visit was attempted to all of the non-participants for reasons of refusal. The mean age of the non-participants was significantly older than that of the participants (54.3 versus 48.5 years, p < 0.001). The response rate for women was significantly higher than that for men (77.2% versus 71.6%, p < 0.001). The probability of death was significantly different between the two groups (1.2% versus 8.8% for participants and non-participants, respectively, p < 0.001). Major reason for not having participated in the health survey was 'not notified or informed of the examination' (32.7%). These data suggest that non-participants were less healthy.
authors.affiliation: Community Medicine Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015983:Selection Bias; D012737:Sex Factors