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Characteristics and implications of attrition in health-related quality of life studies in palliative care.

Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne LU ; Bjordal, K ; Jordhøy, Ms ; Kaasa, S and Jannert, Magnus LU (2009) In Palliative Medicine 23. p.432-440
Abstract
In a longitudinal study of 297 palliative care patients, 280 patients were followed from inclusion to death. Characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the participants and those who later dropped out were compared at inclusion, and 3 and 2 months before their death. At inclusion, the dropouts were older (P = 0.001), had reduced Karnofsky performance score (P < 0.001), received more help from the local authority (P = 0.004) and had reduced HRQL compared with patients who continued in the study and completed the next questionnaire. There were no differences in any of the HRQL parameters between participants and dropouts 3 months before death. Two months before death, differences in HRQL were found, but in favour of the... (More)
In a longitudinal study of 297 palliative care patients, 280 patients were followed from inclusion to death. Characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the participants and those who later dropped out were compared at inclusion, and 3 and 2 months before their death. At inclusion, the dropouts were older (P = 0.001), had reduced Karnofsky performance score (P < 0.001), received more help from the local authority (P = 0.004) and had reduced HRQL compared with patients who continued in the study and completed the next questionnaire. There were no differences in any of the HRQL parameters between participants and dropouts 3 months before death. Two months before death, differences in HRQL were found, but in favour of the dropouts. Data from patients close to death may be representative of a larger group of patients, whereas initial dropouts may lead to a positive bias of reported HRQL. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Palliative Medicine
volume
23
pages
432 - 440
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000266941500008
  • pmid:19304808
  • scopus:67649311967
  • pmid:19304808
ISSN
1477-030X
DOI
10.1177/0269216309104057
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9e851343-fa3d-490d-83af-d11b0b029e19 (old id 1367576)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19304808?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:30:12
date last changed
2022-03-31 03:06:17
@article{9e851343-fa3d-490d-83af-d11b0b029e19,
  abstract     = {{In a longitudinal study of 297 palliative care patients, 280 patients were followed from inclusion to death. Characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the participants and those who later dropped out were compared at inclusion, and 3 and 2 months before their death. At inclusion, the dropouts were older (P = 0.001), had reduced Karnofsky performance score (P &lt; 0.001), received more help from the local authority (P = 0.004) and had reduced HRQL compared with patients who continued in the study and completed the next questionnaire. There were no differences in any of the HRQL parameters between participants and dropouts 3 months before death. Two months before death, differences in HRQL were found, but in favour of the dropouts. Data from patients close to death may be representative of a larger group of patients, whereas initial dropouts may lead to a positive bias of reported HRQL.}},
  author       = {{Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne and Bjordal, K and Jordhøy, Ms and Kaasa, S and Jannert, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{1477-030X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{432--440}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Palliative Medicine}},
  title        = {{Characteristics and implications of attrition in health-related quality of life studies in palliative care.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216309104057}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0269216309104057}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}