title: Predictors of missed appointments in prospective hand surgery research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Missed research appointments may bias the outcome of prospective clinical trials if the participants that miss appointments differ in important ways from those that do not. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of missed research appointments in patients enrolled in clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 665 participants enrolled in ten prospective clinical trials conducted at our outpatient office between 2001 and 2010. Demographic data (sex, race, date of birth, date of enrollment, age at enrollment, educational level, and work status), study coordinator, and study type were analyzed for association with missed a research appointment in bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and forty-four (21.7 %) participants missed research appointments during their follow-up. There were no statistical differences between those who missed appointments and those who did not, regarding sex, race, and age at enrollment. Educational level and work status were independent predictors of missed appointments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that educational level and work status are predictors of missed appointments in prospective clinical research.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Yawkey Center, Suite 2100, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114 USA.
authors.forename: Daan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ootes
authors.forename: Geert A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Buijze
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ring
keywords: Hand surgery research; Missed appointments