title: Pragmatic and internal validity issues in sampling in caregiver studies: a comparison of population-based, registry-based, and ancillary studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies of caregivers illustrate a classic sampling dilemma: maximizing recruitment without compromising study validity. Because caregivers are defined in relation to a care recipient, sampling methods are often determined by pragmatic decisions such as access, efficiency, and costs. However, overlooking validity may result in selection bias, misclassification of caregiver status, and the confounding of results. Validity and pragmatic concerns were compared in four caregiver studies that used different sampling frames: community based, Alzheimer's disease registry, and ancillary studies to existing epidemiologic studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic comparison of validity and of pragmatic aspects of sampling frames, recruitment methods, and participation rates, with attention to caregiver identification, inclusion criteria, and sample restriction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All studies used task-based inclusion criteria. Caregiver participation rates ranged from 81% to 96%, with higher rates in community-based and registry-based studies than in ancillary studies. The latter studies benefited from unbiased selection of noncaregivers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regardless of sampling frame, standard task-based inclusion criteria to define caregivers may enhance validity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fredman
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tennstedt
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.forename: Judith D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.forename: Baila
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Emily L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease; D044383:Black People; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D015983:Selection Bias; D044465:White People