London Daniel A, Stepan Jeffrey G, Goldfarb Charles A, Boyer Martin I, Calfee Ryan P
1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
2 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Clin Trials. 2017 Apr;14(2):187-191. doi: 10.1177/1740774516677275. Epub 2016 Nov 30.
In clinical research, minimizing patients lost to follow-up is essential for data validity. Researchers can employ better methodology to prevent patient loss. We examined how orthopedic surgery patients' contact information changes over time to optimize data collection for long-term outcomes research.
Patients presenting to orthopedic outpatient clinics completed questionnaires regarding methods of contact: home phone, cell phone, mailing address, and e-mail address. They reported currently available methods of contact, if they changed in the past 5 and 10 years, and when they changed. Differences in the rates of change among methods were assessed via Fisher's exact tests. Whether participants changed any of their contact information in the past 5 and 10 years was determined via multivariate modeling, controlling for demographic variables.
Among 152 patients, 51% changed at least one form of contact information within 5 years, and 66% changed at least one form within 10 years. The rate of change for each contact method was similar over 5 (15%-28%) and 10 years (26%-41%). One patient changed all four methods of contact within the past 5 years and seven within the past 10 years. Females and younger patients were more likely to change some type of contact information.
The type of contact information least likely to change over 5-10 years is influenced by demographic factors such as sex and age, with females and younger participants more likely to change some aspect of their contact information. Collecting all contact methods appears necessary to minimize patients lost to follow-up, especially as technological norms evolve.
在临床研究中，尽量减少失访患者对数据有效性至关重要。研究人员可采用更好的方法来防止患者流失。我们研究了骨科手术患者的联系信息如何随时间变化，以优化长期结局研究的数据收集。
到骨科门诊就诊的患者完成了关于联系方式的问卷：家庭电话、手机、邮寄地址和电子邮件地址。他们报告了当前可用的联系方式、过去5年和10年是否发生变化以及变化时间。通过Fisher精确检验评估不同联系方式变化率的差异。通过多变量建模确定参与者在过去5年和10年是否更改了任何联系信息，并对人口统计学变量进行控制。
在152名患者中，51%在5年内至少更改了一种联系信息，66%在10年内至少更改了一种联系信息。每种联系方式在5年（15%-28%）和10年（26%-41%）内的变化率相似。1名患者在过去5年内更改了所有四种联系方式，7名患者在过去10年内更改了所有四种联系方式。女性和年轻患者更有可能更改某种类型的联系信息。
5至10年内最不易更改的联系信息类型受性别和年龄等人口统计学因素影响，女性和年轻参与者更有可能更改其联系信息的某些方面。收集所有联系方式似乎有必要尽量减少失访患者，尤其是随着技术规范的演变。
