TY  - GEN
AU  - Livingston, P. M.
AU  - Lee, S. E.
AU  - McCarty, C. A.
AU  - Taylor, H. R.
Y2  - 2014/05/22
Y1  - 1997
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/11343/33442
AB  - Purpose:  Adequate participation in population-based studies is essential to ensure that the sample is representative of the population under investigation. Participants may differ from non-participants on important variables such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, and general health factors. The Melbourne Visual Impairment Project (Melbourne VIP) is a population-based study designed to increase understanding of the prevalence and severity of common ocular disorders affecting people 40 years of age and over.
                        
                    Aim:  The aim of this study was to determine the potential for any non-response bias by comparing data from participants and non-participants of the Melbourne VIP.
                        
                    Methods:  Specific demographic and general variables were compared between the two groups. The variables included age, sex, education level, and social status. The reason for non-attendance was also recorded.
                        
                    Results:  A total of 3271 (83%) eligible residents from the 9 sample areas were screened; 46% males and 54% females. Language spoken at home was significantly associated with participation. Residents whose main language at home was not English were less likely to attend the screening centre. (OR: 0.60; CI: 0.44-0.81). The main reasons given for nonattendance by eligible residents were lack of interest (6%), too busy to attend (4%), personal illness (2%), and attend own eye specialist (2%).
                        
                    Conclusion:  We believe these results will not impact significantly on the interpretation of gender and age-specific data from the Melbourne VIP.
N1  - application/pdf
LA  - eng
PB  - Aeolus Press
KW  - CERA
KW  - ophthalmology
KW  - Centre for Eye Research Australia
KW  - eye research
KW  - vision
KW  - visual health
KW  - visual impairment
KW  - population-based study
KW  - epidemiology
KW  - participation
KW  - bias
T1  - A comparison of participants with non-participants in a population-based epidemiologic study: the Melbourne Visual Impairment Project
IS  - Ophthalmic Epidemiology
VL  - 4
IS  - 2
SP  - 73-81
L1  - /bitstream/handle/11343/33442/65534_opthalmic_epidemioligy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=n
ER  -