Do people with risky behaviours participate in biomedical cohort studies?
BACKGROUND
Analysis was undertaken on data from randomly selected participants of a bio-medical cohort study to assess representativeness. The research hypotheses was that there was no difference in participation and non-participations in terms of health-related indicators (smoking, alcohol use, body mass index, physical activity, blood pressure and cholesterol readings and overall health status) and selected socio-demographics (age, sex, area of residence, education level, marital status and work status).


METHODS
Randomly selected adults were recruited into a bio-medical representative cohort study based in the north western suburbs of the capital of South Australia--Adealide. Comparison data was obtained from cross-sectional surveys of randomly selected adults in the same age range and in the same region. The cohort participants were 4060 randomly selected adults (18+ years).


RESULTS
There were no major differences between study participants and the comparison population in terms of current smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, overall health status and proportions with current high blood pressure and cholesterol readings. Significantly more people who reported a medium to very high alcohol risk participated in the study. There were some demographic differences with study participants more likely to be in the middle level of household income and education level.


CONCLUSIONS
People with risky behaviours participated in this health study in the same proportions as people without these risk factors.
Taylor
Anne W
AW
Population Research & Outcome Studies Unit, South Australian Department of Health, Australia. anne.taylor@health.sa.gov.au
Dal Grande
Eleonora
E
Gill
Tiffany
T
Chittleborough
Catherine R
CR
Wilson
David H
DH
Adams
Robert J
RJ
Grant
Janet F
JF
Phillips
Patrick
P
Ruffin
Richard E
RE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires