[Changes of a sample of aged > or = 60 years of age in-patients after five years: results from the ELDERMEN-Study].
METHODS
The ELDERMEN Study, which was funded by the German Research Association, comprises baseline assessment during 1994-1997 and a second assessment during 2000-2002. A total of 261 in-patients participated in an extensive examination at baseline assessment and were contacted again five years later.


RESULTS
Five years after baseline assessment, 135 former participants had deceased, 29 newly fulfilled exclusion criteria. Of the 97 individuals who matched the study's inclusion criteria at the second assessment, 74 participated in the second evaluation. Baseline assessment revealed no significant differences between participants at second assessment and those persons who refused the second participation. However, participants in the extensive examination and longitudinal design were a positive selection when compared to the whole baseline sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Because of increasing morbidity and mortality, longitudinal gerontological studies have to deal with the problem of selective diminishment of the sample, which can endanger the validity and generalizability of results. The problem has to be dealt with by careful documentation and evaluation of selectivity effects. We focus on the problems of longitudinal studies in gerontologic research and examine the longitudinal development of a sample of geriatric in-patients aged > or = 60 years.
Schneider
G
G
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Domagkstr. 22, 48129 Münster, Germany. schneig@mednet.uni-muenster.de
Driesch
G
G
Kruse
A
A
Nehen
H G
HG
Heuft
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015982:Bias; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018401:Sample Size; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology