Factors associated with home visits in a 5-year study of acute respiratory distress syndrome survivors

Background Participant retention is vital for longitudinal studies. Home visits may increase retention, but little is known about the subset of patients they benefit. Objective To evaluate patient-related variables associated with home visits. Methods In a 5-year, longitudinal, multisite, prospective study of 195 survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome, in-person assessments were conducted at a research clinic. Home visits were offered to participants who could not attend the clinic. Associations between having a home visit, prior follow-up visit status, and baseline and in-hospital patient variables were evaluated with multivariable, random-intercept logistic regression models.The association between home visits and patients’ posthospital clinical status was evaluated with a subsequent regression model adjusted for these variables. Results Participants had a median age of 49 years and were 56% male and 58% White. The following had independent associations with home visits (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]): age (per year: 1.03 [1.00-1.05]) and immediately preceding visit incomplete (2.46 [1.44-4.19]) or at home (8.24 [4.57-14.86]). After adjustment for prior-visit status and baseline and hospitalization variables, these posthospital patient outcome variables were associated with a subsequent home visit: instrumental activities of daily living (≥ 2 vs < 2 dependencies: 2.32 [1.29-4.17]), EQ-5D utility score (per 0.1-point decrease: 1.15 [1.021.30]), and 6-minute walk test (per 10-percentage-point decrease in percent-predicted distance: 1.50 [1.26-1.79]). Conclusions Home visits were important for retaining older and more physically impaired study participants, helping reduce selection bias caused by excluding them.