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Factors associated with participant compliance in studies using accelerometers
Paul H Lee1, Duncan J Macfarlane, T H Lam
1FAMILY: A Jockey Club Initiative for a Harmonious Society, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Gait & Posture
|May 22, 2013
Summary
Participant compliance with accelerometer wear is crucial for study validity. Older age, full-time employment, higher education, non-smoking status, and good self-reported health were linked to better accelerometer data compliance.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Biomedical Research
Background:
- Participant compliance is critical for the validity of studies utilizing accelerometers.
- Many participants fail to adhere to prescribed accelerometer wear durations, impacting data quality.
- Understanding factors influencing compliance is essential for accurate data collection and analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate demographic factors associated with participant compliance in wearing accelerometers.
- To identify characteristics of participants who achieve higher compliance rates for accelerometer data.
- To inform sample size calculations and study design for accelerometer-based research.
Main Methods:
- A total of 3601 participants (mean age 47.6 years, 44.6% male) in Hong Kong wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph) for four consecutive days.
- Data on accelerometer wear duration (hours per 24-hour day) were collected.
- Log-linear regression analysis was employed to examine associations between demographic factors and compliance.
Main Results:
- No significant gender differences in accelerometer wear time were observed (p=0.38).
- Older participants (0.5% more wearing hours per year of age, p<0.001), those employed full-time (p<0.01), with tertiary education (p<0.01), non-smokers (p<0.01), and reporting high health status (p<0.05) showed increased compliance.
- Average wear time was 13.9 hours per 24-hour day.
Conclusions:
- Demographic factors significantly influence participant compliance with accelerometer wear.
- Findings aid in estimating compliance rates for diverse populations, improving sample size calculations.
- Tailoring recruitment and retention strategies based on these factors can enhance accelerometer study validity.
