What is it about?
Older adults who left long-term aging studies generally had lower cognitive functioning than those who remained. These participants may be at greater risk for functional limitations, suggesting they could benefit from additional healthcare attention while also making research findings less representative.
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Why is it important?
People who leave long-term aging studies may differ in important ways from those who remain, affecting the accuracy of research findings. Identifying these participants may not only reduce research bias but also help recognize older adults who could benefit from additional healthcare support.
Perspectives
This work is an example of our paradata group's belief that, beyond what people respond to surveys, how they participate in studies can yield additional information about individuals. Here, the "how" was whether participants continued in the study or dropped out, which appeared to have important implications for cognitive health.
Raymond Hernandez
University of Southern California
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Attrition from longitudinal ageing studies and performance across domains of cognitive functioning: an individual participant data meta-analysis, BMJ Open, March 2024, BMJ,
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079241.
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