Mackenzie A, Funderburk F R, Allen R P, Stefan R L
J Stud Alcohol. 1987 Mar;48(2):119-23. doi: 10.15288/jsa.1987.48.119.
In a follow-up of 85 alcoholic men, 93% were interviewed or confirmed deceased 8 years after discharge from hospital. The sample was also followed up at 1 and 3 years postdischarge. Follow-up rates of other published studies are discussed. Scales to assess difficulty of interview and difficulty of location were developed. Factor analysis revealed the differential characteristics of subjects defined as difficult to locate, difficult to interview or missing. Subjects who are difficult to locate, or who in the extreme case will go missing, tended to have poorer social functioning prior to intake and to be residentially unstable during the follow-up period, characteristics that tend to correlate with worse drinking outcome. Subjects who are unwilling to be interviewed tended to be residentially stable and show better interpersonal adjustment at follow-up. Less intensive location procedures would have resulted in data loss from those classified as difficult to locate. Less persuasive interview techniques would have resulted in data loss from those classified as difficult to interview. Early termination of the follow-up would also have resulted in data loss from the latter group. The distinct types of data biases that would be introduced by loss of information from each of the above subgroups are examined.
在对85名男性酗酒者的随访中，93%的人在出院8年后接受了访谈或被证实已经死亡。该样本在出院后1年和3年也进行了随访。文中讨论了其他已发表研究的随访率。开发了评估访谈难度和查找难度的量表。因子分析揭示了被定义为难以查找、难以访谈或失访的研究对象的不同特征。难以查找的研究对象，或者在极端情况下会失访的研究对象，在入院前往往社会功能较差，在随访期间居住情况不稳定，这些特征往往与更差的饮酒结果相关。不愿接受访谈的研究对象在随访时往往居住情况稳定，人际适应能力较好。采用不太密集的查找程序会导致被归类为难以查找的研究对象的数据丢失。采用说服力较弱的访谈技巧会导致被归类为难以访谈的研究对象的数据丢失。随访提前终止也会导致后一组的数据丢失。本文研究了上述每个亚组信息丢失所引入的不同类型的数据偏差。
