ISSUES OF RECRUITMENT AND MAINTAINING HIGH RESPONSE RATES IN A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF OLDER HOSPITAL PATIENTS IN ENGLAND - PATHWAYS THROUGH CARE STUDY

Study objectives-To describe and discuss the methods used to recruit a nd maintain an unbiased sample of older discharged hospital patients i n a study of the process and outcomes of hospital care. Design-Prospec tive longitudinal interview study of consecutive patients admitted to hospital over a 12 month period and followed up for six months. Interv iews took place in hospital five days after admission, at home 10 days after discharge, and six months after admission. Setting-Six hospital locations: three in the north of England and three in the south. Part icipants-People aged 65 and over admitted to hospital with a new strok e or fractured neck of femur, their significant other, and nursing sta ff caring for them. Main results-Of 3105 patients referred to the stud y, 2111 were eligible and 1671 (79%) were recruited. Recruited stroke patients were younger than those not recruited and rates differed betw een locations for both stroke and fractured neck of femur. By six mont hs after admission 25% had died. Outcome data were obtained for 85% of the surviving patients. Patients who died were older and frailer befo re admission. Among survivors, outcome data for stroke patients were l ess likely to be obtained for men, those more able initially, and thos e who were married. Response rates to each interview differed accordin g to respondent types. Interviews were more likely to be obtained with significant others than patients. Patients who were not able to be in terviewed were older and frailer; significant others were less likely to be interviewed if the patients were younger and more able. Conclusi ons-High response rates can be achieved with very frail older people i f strategies are adopted to maintain their interest and if self report ed data are supplemented by interviewing significant others.