Morbidity in responders and non-responders in a register-based population survey.
BACKGROUND
Non-response analysis is often restricted to the influence of age, sex and socio-economic status on response status. In this study the health status of responders and non-responders was also compared.


RESULTS
Responders were comparable to non-responders with regard to the number of diagnosed disorders as well as to the prevalences of disorders within body systems. Non-responders only showed psychological disorders more often.


CONCLUSIONS
It is useful to assess the relation between non-response and morbidity patterns in other studies as well, in order to detect selective non-response and bias.
Maastricht University, Department of General Practice, The Netherlands.
M
M
van den Akker
F
F
Buntinx
J F
JF
Metsemakers
J A
JA
Knottnerus
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011177:Postal Service; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires