Challenges associated with longitudinal survivorship research: attrition and a novel approach of reenrollment in a 6-year follow-up study of older breast cancer survivors.
Challenges associated with longitudinal survivorship research: attrition and a novel approach of reenrollment in a 6-year follow-up study of older breast cancer survivors.
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DOI：
10.1007/s11764-008-0049-y
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发表时间：
2008-06-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Silliman, Rebecca A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Clough-Gorr, Kerri M;Fink, Aliza K;Silliman, Rebecca A
简介：乳腺癌是老年女性中最常见的癌症类型。方法：我们选择了一个方便的样本，包括：(1)I-IIIa期疾病，(2)65岁或以上，以及(3)医生允许接触的女性。数据是从同意的患者的医疗记录、电话采访和国家死亡指数中收集的超过6年的随访数据。在第4年的随访之前，我们尝试使用单一方案重新安置失去随访的女性，并在成功时邀请她们重新登记参加研究。结果：在660名受试者中，177人获得完全随访，182人在一段时间内不再参与，171人死亡，130人失访。在重新入选的女性和那些持续随访或失去随访的女性之间没有发现重要的差异。与完全随访的女性相比，失去随访的女性在年龄和合并症方面存在名义上的差异。讨论/结论：这项研究突出了癌症存活纵向研究中的挑战，特别是再登记的潜在好处。癌症幸存者的应用：我们的发现为克服纵向研究中的一些挑战提供了一种新的、有前途的方法，旨在提高老年人的知识和整体癌症生存经验。
INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among older women. The vast majority of women with breast cancer become long-term survivors.METHODS: We selected a convenience sample of women with: (1) stage I-IIIa disease, (2) age 65-years or older, and (3) permission from physician to contact. Data were collected over 6-years of follow-up from consenting patients' medical records, telephone interviews, and the National Death Index. Before year 4 of follow-up we attempted to relocate women lost to follow-up using a single protocol and when successful, invited them to reenroll in the study. In this secondary data-analysis, baseline characteristics were compared among subjects with continuous follow-up, those who reenrolled, died, or were lost to follow-up.RESULTS: Among 660 subjects, 177 had complete follow-up, 182 reenrolled after a period of non-participation, 171 died, and 130 were lost to follow-up. No important differences were found between reenrolled women and those with continuous follow-up or those lost to follow-up. There were nominal differences in age and comorbidity among women lost to follow-up compared to those with complete follow-up.DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights challenges in longitudinal research of cancer survivorship, specifically the potential benefit of reenrollment.IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Our findings provide a novel and promising approach to surmount some of the challenges in longitudinal research aimed at enhancing knowledge and the overall cancer survivorship experience of older adults.