 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Stephen J. McPhee, MD, Vietnamese Community Health Promotion Project, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 44 Page Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102, Tung T. Nguyen, MD, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0320, San Francisco, CA 94143, 415-502-1539, tung@itsa.ucsf.edu, Susan L. Stewart, PhD, Biostatistics, Northern California Cancer Center, 32960 Alvarado-Niles Road, Suite 600, Union City, CA 94587, Carol P. Somkin, PhD, Division of Research, Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611, and Rena J. Pasick, DrPH, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94143.
In any cohort study, attrition poses threats to both external and internal validity of findings. In a trial to promote breast and cervical screening, we conducted 3 telephone surveys over 3 years in 4 languages in a longitudinal cohort of 1463 African American, Chinese, Filipina, Latina, and White women aged 40 to 74 residing in Alameda County, California. We undertook 11 cohort maintenance procedures throughout the study and assessed sociodemographic, screening and other characteristics of the retained cohort (respondents to the baseline survey who completed the final survey). The final survey included 16 questions to measure factors associated with retention and attrition. Our 3-year retention rate was 80.3%, higher than anticipated. In multivariate analysis, having had regular mammography screening, being married, and good self-perceived health status were significant positive predictors of retention. Significant negative predictors were Chinese and Filipina ethnicity, Spanish language of interview, and high school education. Respondents’ age, income, employment, insurance, years in the U.S., perceived risk or family history of breast cancer, and study arm were not significant predictors of retention, nor were length of the interview or comprehension problems. African Americans, Filipinas, and Chinese were significantly less willing to participate in future studies compared to Latinas and Whites. Efforts to maintain a multiethnic, multilingual cohort were successful in achieving 80% retention over 3 years. Retention rates differed significantly by ethnicity, language, mammography use, and several other factors.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Ethnic Minorities, Survey
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.