Predictors of attrition among rural breast cancer survivors

Attrition can jeopardize both internal and external validity. The goal of this secondary analysis was to examine predictors of attrition using baseline data of 432 participants in the Rural Breast Cancer Survivors study. Attrition predictors were conceptualized based on demographic, social, cancer treatment, physical health, and mental health characteristics. Baseline measures were selected using this conceptualization. Bivariate tests of association, discrete-time Cox regression models and recursive partitioning techniques were used in analysis. Results showed that 100 participants (23%) dropped out by Month 12. Non-linear tree analyses showed that poor mental health and lack of health insurance were significant predictors of attrition. Findings contribute to future research efforts to reduce research attrition among rural underserved populations.