title: Characteristics of participants' and caregivers' influence on non-response in a cross-sectional study of dementia in an older population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The issue of non-response in dementia epidemiological studies, which may result in the underestimation of the prevalence of dementia, has attracted little attention. We aimed to explore the causes and related factors of non-response in a dementia survey among Chinese veterans.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-phase, cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in Chinese veterans aged ≥ 60 years. We collected the socio-demographic data and prior medical history, evaluated the health status of veterans and their caregivers, assessed the cognitive status of veterans, and evaluated the care burden of caregivers by Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 9676 eligible participants, 525 (5.4%) veterans in phase 1 and 1706 (35.0%) veterans among 4875 veterans in phase 2 did not respond. Illness, hospitalization and death accounted for 63.0% and 75.5% non-response in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Non-participation in social activities, self-perceived poor health status, worsened health changes, self-reported need for life care, and history of hearing loss or glaucoma independently predicted non-response in phase 1 or 2. The heavy care burden, suggested by the higher CBI scores and self-reported health deterioration of the primary caregivers, predicted non-response in phase 1 or 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The negative factors from both the participants and their caregivers independently predicted the non-response in the dementia study in an older population. Preventative strategies from the perspectives of the participants and caregivers should be developed to improve the response rates in both phases in a cross-sectional study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Ji-ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Clinical Epidemiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China. Electronic address: lnw_301@163.com.
authors.forename: Lu-ning
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Clinical Epidemiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, PR China. Electronic address: yimingzhao115@163.com.
authors.forename: Yi-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Cadre Department, Navy General Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Bao-he
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA 264 Hospital, Taiyuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhi-ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Third Cadre Department, Chinese PLA 254 Hospital, Tianjin, PR China.
authors.forename: Shao-gang
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Third Internal Medicine Department, Chinese PLA 44 Hospital, Guiyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Lan-ying
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA 451 Hospital, Xi'an, PR China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Cadre Department, Chinese PLA 252Hospital, Baoding, PR China.
authors.forename: Rui-xiang
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Cadre Department, Chinese PLA 253 Hospital, Huhhot, PR China.
authors.forename: Li-hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Wuhan, PR China.
authors.forename: Wen-jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Cadre Department, General Hospital of Armed Police Forces, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong-qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Caregivers; Cross-sectional study; Dementia; Non-response; Older population; Two-phase design