Attrition of older Mexican American survey respondents.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to compare sample attrition between foreign born and US born older Mexican Americans.


METHODS
Prospective cohort data over five waves (Hispanic established population for the epidemiological study of the elderly) of 3,050 older Mexican Americans were used to estimate the number and proportion of drop outs. Multivariate logistic regression of predictors of attrition included nativity, age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, financial strain, employment status, education, chronic conditions, cognitive function, disability, and depressive symptoms.


RESULTS
Over 11 years of follow-up, 62% of the respondents dropped out of the study, but the difference between respondents born in the US and Mexico differed by only 2% points. Multivariate analyses of correlates for attrition related to death, refusal, and lost to follow-up revealed that older respondents in poor health were more likely to die and be lost to follow up.


CONCLUSIONS
Over 11 years of follow-up, immigrants were no more likely to drop out than US born respondents.
Stimpson
Jim P
JP
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA. jstimpso@hsc.unt.edu
Ray
Laura A
LA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003625:Data Collection; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology