Assessing the accuracy of response propensity models in longitudinal studies

Non-response in longitudinal studies is addressed by assessing the accuracy of response propensity models constructed to discriminate between and predict different types of non-response. Particular attention is paid to summary measures derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and logit rank plots. The ideas are applied to data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. The results suggest that the ability to discriminate between and predict non-respondents is not high. Weights generated from the response propensity models lead to only small adjustments in employment transitions. Conclusions are drawn in terms of the potential of interventions to prevent non-response.