What does "Attrition Bias" mean?
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Attrition bias happens when some participants drop out of a study over time. This can affect the results because the people who stay in the study might be different from those who leave. For example, if healthier people are more likely to complete the study, the final results might show better outcomes than what is true for all participants.
Why It Matters
When a study has attrition bias, it can lead to incorrect conclusions. If researchers do not carefully consider who dropped out, they might miss important information about the overall population. This can make the findings less reliable and harder to apply to real-world situations.
How to Handle It
To reduce attrition bias, researchers can try various strategies. They can keep track of all participants, even those who drop out, and analyze the reasons for dropout. They might also offer incentives to encourage participants to stay in the study. By addressing these dropouts, researchers can improve the quality of their findings and ensure they reflect a broader group of people.