Factors Influencing Attrition in 35 Alzheimer's Disease Centers Across the USA: A Longitudinal Examination of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center's Uniform Data Set

High rates of attrition in longitudinal studies of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias may cause researchers to underestimate dementia prevalence and skew the characterization of the disease, comprising the generalizability of the results. To explore predictors of attrition, this study examined the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set, a repository of observations of older adults spanning 11 years. Four samples were examined.

The researchers found that worsening cognitive impairment, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and difficulty with functional activities predicted attrition. They concluded that results of baseline psychological, functional, and cognitive functioning should be used to identify targeted retention strategies.

Burke SL, Hu T, Naseh M, et al. Factors influencing attrition in 35 Alzheimer's Disease Centers across the USA: A longitudinal examination of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center's Uniform Data Set. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 2019;31(9):1283-1297.