Predicting attrition in a pediatric asthma intervention study.
OBJECTIVE
To operationalize a comprehensive description of attrition, including pre-inclusion, dropout, and attrition due to intermittent missing data, and to test a predictive model of attrition using a data set from a randomized controlled intervention in pediatric asthma.


METHODS
Participants included children, ages 4-12, diagnosed with asthma and their caregivers. Demographic variables and outcome measures of asthma morbidity were examined in 327 families to determine their association with attrition.


RESULTS
Families who did not complete randomization and the intervention tended to have younger caregivers than did completers. Caregiver age emerged as the most consistent predictor of pre-inclusion and dropout attrition. There were no significant predictors of attrition due to intermittent missing data.


CONCLUSIONS
Younger caregivers may be at particular risk for attrition in pediatric asthma intervention studies and warrant special attention by investigators.
Zebracki
Kathy
K
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. kmz7@po.cwru.edu
Drotar
Dennis
D
Kirchner
H Lester
HL
Schluchter
Mark
M
Redline
Susan
S
Kercsmar
Carolyn
C
Walders
Natalie
N
D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis