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Attrition and Health in Ageing Studies: Evidence from ELSA and HRS

Author

Listed:
  • Banks, James

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies, London)

  • Muriel, Alastair

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies, London)

  • Smith, James P.

    (RAND)

Abstract

In this paper we present results of an investigation into observable characteristics associated with attrition in ELSA and the HRS, with a particular focus on whether attrition is systematically related to health outcomes and socioeconomic status (SES). Investigating the links between health and SES is one of the primary goals of the ELSA and HRS, so attrition correlated with these outcomes is a critical concern. We explored some possible reasons for these differences. Survey maturity, mobility, respondent burden, interviewer quality, and differing sampling methods all fail to account for the gap. Differential respondent incentives may play some role, but the impact of respondent incentive is difficult to test. Apparently, cultural differences between the US and Europe population in agreeing to participate and remain in scientific surveys are a more likely explanation.

Suggested Citation

  • Banks, James & Muriel, Alastair & Smith, James P., 2010. "Attrition and Health in Ageing Studies: Evidence from ELSA and HRS," IZA Discussion Papers 5161, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5161
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Duncan Thomas & Elizabeth Frankenberg & James P. Smith, 2001. "Lost but Not Forgotten: Attrition and Follow-up in the Indonesia Family Life Survey," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 36(3), pages 556-592.
    2. John Fitzgerald & Peter Gottschalk & Robert Moffitt, 1998. "An Analysis of Sample Attrition in Panel Data: The Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 33(2), pages 251-299.
    3. Daniel H. Hill & Robert J. Willis, 2001. "Reducing Panel Attrition: A Search for Effective Policy Instruments," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 36(3), pages 416-438.
    4. Lee A. Lillard & Constantijn W. A. Panis, 1998. "Panel Attrition from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics: Household Income, Marital Status, and Mortality," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 33(2), pages 437-457.
    5. James P. Smith, 2007. "The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Health over the Life-Course," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(4).
    6. James Banks & Alastair Muriel & James Smith, 2010. "Disease prevalence, disease incidence, and mortality in the United States and in England," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 47(1), pages 211-231, March.
    7. Hausman, Jerry A & Wise, David A, 1979. "Attrition Bias in Experimental and Panel Data: The Gary Income Maintenance Experiment," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(2), pages 455-473, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. David Vázquez Guzman, 2012. "A comparative study of well-being for elders in Mexico and England," Estudios Regionales en Economía, Población y Desarrollo. Cuadernos de Trabajo de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. 9, Cuerpo Académico 41 de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, revised 09 Dec 2012.
    2. James Banks & James P. Smith, 2012. "International Comparisons in Health Economics: Evidence from Aging Studies," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 4(1), pages 57-81, July.
    3. Mariela Dal Borgo, 2019. "Ethnic and racial disparities in saving behavior," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 17(2), pages 253-283, June.
    4. Hudomiet, Péter & Hurd, Michael D. & Rohwedder, Susann, 2021. "The age profile of life satisfaction after age 65 in the U.S," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 431-442.
    5. Ryan D. Edwards, 2018. "If My Blood Pressure Is High, Do I Take It to Heart? Behavioral Effects of Biomarker Collection in the Health and Retirement Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(2), pages 403-434, April.
    6. Abeliansky, Ana Lucia & Erel, Devin & Strulik, Holger, 2019. "Aging in the USA: Similarities and disparities across time and space," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 384, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    7. McFall, Stephanie L. & Booker, Cara L. & Burton, Jonathan & Conolly, Anne, 2012. "Implementing the biosocial component of Understanding Society – nurse collection of biomeasures," Understanding Society Working Paper Series 2012-04, Understanding Society at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    8. Patrick Rouxel & Georgios Tsakos & Panayotes Demakakos & Paola Zaninotto & Tarani Chandola & Richard Geddie Watt, 2015. "Is Social Capital a Determinant of Oral Health among Older Adults? Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Alexander Knobel & Alexey Mironov, 2014. "Оценка Готовности Стран СНГ к Созданию Валютного Союза c Россией (Readiness Assessment of the CIS Member States to Create a Monetary Union with Russia)," Working Papers 136, Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, revised 2015.
    10. Ryan D. Edwards, 2013. "If My Blood Pressure Is High, Do I Take It To Heart? Behavioral Impacts of Biomarker Collection in the Health and Retirement Study," NBER Working Papers 19311, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    attrition; health;

    JEL classification:

    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General

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