Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study

Objectives To describe representativeness in the Gothenburg H70 1930 Birth Cohort Study.Design Repeated cross-sectional examinations of a population-based study.Setting Gothenburg, Sweden.Participants All residents of Gothenburg, Sweden, born on specific birth dates in 1930 were invited to a compreh...

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Main Authors: Margda Waern, Ingmar Skoog, Lena Johansson, Xinxin Guo, Silke Kern, Erik Joas, Hanna Wetterberg, Lina Rydén, Felicia Ahlner, Hanna Falk Erhag, Pia Gudmundsson, Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg, Jenna Najar, Mats Ribbe, Therese Rydberg Sterner, Jessica Samuelsson, Simona Sacuiu, Robert Sigström, Johan Skoog, Anna Zettergren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e068165.full
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author Margda Waern
Ingmar Skoog
Lena Johansson
Xinxin Guo
Silke Kern
Erik Joas
Hanna Wetterberg
Lina Rydén
Felicia Ahlner
Hanna Falk Erhag
Pia Gudmundsson
Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg
Jenna Najar
Mats Ribbe
Therese Rydberg Sterner
Jessica Samuelsson
Simona Sacuiu
Robert Sigström
Johan Skoog
Anna Zettergren
author_facet Margda Waern
Ingmar Skoog
Lena Johansson
Xinxin Guo
Silke Kern
Erik Joas
Hanna Wetterberg
Lina Rydén
Felicia Ahlner
Hanna Falk Erhag
Pia Gudmundsson
Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg
Jenna Najar
Mats Ribbe
Therese Rydberg Sterner
Jessica Samuelsson
Simona Sacuiu
Robert Sigström
Johan Skoog
Anna Zettergren
author_sort Margda Waern
collection DOAJ
description Objectives To describe representativeness in the Gothenburg H70 1930 Birth Cohort Study.Design Repeated cross-sectional examinations of a population-based study.Setting Gothenburg, Sweden.Participants All residents of Gothenburg, Sweden, born on specific birth dates in 1930 were invited to a comprehensive health examination at ages 70, 75, 79, 85 and 88. The number of participants at each examination was 524 at age 70, 767 at age 75, 580 at age 79, 416 at age 85, and 258 at age 88.Primary outcome measures We compared register data on sociodemographic characteristics and hospital discharge diagnoses between participants and (1) refusals, (2) all same-aged individuals in Gothenburg and (3) all same-aged individuals in Sweden. We also compared mortality rates between participants and refusals.Results Refusal rate increased with age. At two or more examination waves, participants compared with refusals had higher educational level, more often had osteoarthritis, had lower mortality rates, had lower prevalence of neuropsychiatric, alcohol-related and cardiovascular disorders, and were more often married. At two examination waves, participants compared with same-aged individuals in Gothenburg had higher education and were more often born in Sweden. At two examination waves or more, participants compared with same-aged individuals in Sweden had higher education, had higher average income, less often had ischaemic heart disease, were less often born in Sweden and were more often divorced.Conclusions Participants were more similar to the target population in Gothenburg than to refusals and same-aged individuals in Sweden. Our study shows the importance of having different comparison groups when assessing representativeness of population studies, which is important in evaluating generalisability of results. The study also contributes unique and up-to-date knowledge about participation bias in these high age groups.
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spelling doaj-art-7aa59fdf86ed4f86aaecc6a5c616e5d12025-08-20T02:16:01ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-12-01121210.1136/bmjopen-2022-068165Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort StudyMargda Waern0Ingmar Skoog1Lena Johansson2Xinxin Guo3Silke Kern4Erik Joas5Hanna Wetterberg6Lina Rydén7Felicia Ahlner8Hanna Falk Erhag9Pia Gudmundsson10Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg11Jenna Najar12Mats Ribbe13Therese Rydberg Sterner14Jessica Samuelsson15Simona Sacuiu16Robert Sigström17Johan Skoog18Anna Zettergren198 Department of Psychotic Disorders, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AgeCap), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AgeCap), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, Sweden1 School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AgeCap), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenCentre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AgeCap), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AgeCap), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, SwedenObjectives To describe representativeness in the Gothenburg H70 1930 Birth Cohort Study.Design Repeated cross-sectional examinations of a population-based study.Setting Gothenburg, Sweden.Participants All residents of Gothenburg, Sweden, born on specific birth dates in 1930 were invited to a comprehensive health examination at ages 70, 75, 79, 85 and 88. The number of participants at each examination was 524 at age 70, 767 at age 75, 580 at age 79, 416 at age 85, and 258 at age 88.Primary outcome measures We compared register data on sociodemographic characteristics and hospital discharge diagnoses between participants and (1) refusals, (2) all same-aged individuals in Gothenburg and (3) all same-aged individuals in Sweden. We also compared mortality rates between participants and refusals.Results Refusal rate increased with age. At two or more examination waves, participants compared with refusals had higher educational level, more often had osteoarthritis, had lower mortality rates, had lower prevalence of neuropsychiatric, alcohol-related and cardiovascular disorders, and were more often married. At two examination waves, participants compared with same-aged individuals in Gothenburg had higher education and were more often born in Sweden. At two examination waves or more, participants compared with same-aged individuals in Sweden had higher education, had higher average income, less often had ischaemic heart disease, were less often born in Sweden and were more often divorced.Conclusions Participants were more similar to the target population in Gothenburg than to refusals and same-aged individuals in Sweden. Our study shows the importance of having different comparison groups when assessing representativeness of population studies, which is important in evaluating generalisability of results. The study also contributes unique and up-to-date knowledge about participation bias in these high age groups.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e068165.full
spellingShingle Margda Waern
Ingmar Skoog
Lena Johansson
Xinxin Guo
Silke Kern
Erik Joas
Hanna Wetterberg
Lina Rydén
Felicia Ahlner
Hanna Falk Erhag
Pia Gudmundsson
Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg
Jenna Najar
Mats Ribbe
Therese Rydberg Sterner
Jessica Samuelsson
Simona Sacuiu
Robert Sigström
Johan Skoog
Anna Zettergren
Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study
BMJ Open
title Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study
title_full Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study
title_fullStr Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study
title_full_unstemmed Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study
title_short Representativeness in population-based studies of older adults: five waves of cross-sectional examinations in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study
title_sort representativeness in population based studies of older adults five waves of cross sectional examinations in the gothenburg h70 birth cohort study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e068165.full
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