Patterns of nonresponse in a national survey of elderly Japanese

Data from a nationwide sample of older adults in Japan were analyzed to determine patterns of unit nonresponse. Maximum likelihood logistic regression analyses identified age, sex, geographic region, and urbanicity as significant predictors of response status. The probability of nonresponse was higher for men, persons living in certain regions, and those in large urban areas. Age had a curvilinear relationship with response status; the probability of nonresponse decreased from age 60 to age 70, and then increased again with the highest rates at the oldest ages. When nonrespondents were disaggregated into three different groups based on reason for nonparticipation (i.e., refusals, not-at-homes, other reasons), variation in the results was found. For example, while men were more likely than women to refuse an interview or be absent from home during the survey period, they were no more likely to not participate for other reasons. Use of different response rate calculations and a substitution sampling procedure were not found to seriously affect study results.