Results obtained from self-reported health data may be biased if those being surveyed respond differently based on health
status. This study was conducted to investigate if health, as measured by health care use preceding invitation, influenced
response to invitation to a 21-year prospective study, the Millennium Cohort Study. Inpatient and outpatient diagnoses were
identified among more than 68,000 people during a one-year period prior to invitation to enroll. Multivariable logistic regression
defined how diagnoses were associated with response. Days spent hospitalized or in outpatient care were also compared between
responders and nonresponders. Adjusted odds of response to the questionnaire were similar over a diverse range of inpatient
and outpatient diagnostic categories during the year prior to enrollment. The number of days hospitalized or accessing outpatient
care was very similar between responders and nonresponders. Study findings demonstrate that, although there are some small
differences between responders and nonresponders, prior health care use did not affect response to the Millennium Cohort Study,
and it is unlikely that future study findings will be biased by differential response due to health status prior to enrollment
invitation.
Keywords Cohort studies - Military medicine - Military personnel - Response bias - Veterans
In addition to the authors, the Millennium Cohort Study Team includes Edward J. Boyko, MD, MPH (Seattle Epidemiologic Research
and Information Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA); Gary D. Gackstetter,
PhD, DVM, MPH and Tomoko I Hooper, MD MPH (Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University
of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD); Gary D. Gackstetter, PhD, DVM, MPH (Analytic Services, Inc. (ANSER), Arlington, VA);
Gregory C. Gray, MD, MPH (College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA); and James R. Riddle, DVM, MPH (Air
Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH).
This represents report 07-07, supported by the Department of Defense, under work unit no. 60002. The views expressed in this
article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department
of the Army, Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, or the US Government. This
research has been conducted in compliance with all applicable federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects
in research (Protocol NHRC.2000.007).