Accuracy of self-reported stroke among elderly veterans

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Self-reported health data is crucial for epidemiological studies.
• Validating self-reported stroke in veteran populations is essential for accurate research.
• Previous research has not fully established the reliability of self-reported stroke in elderly veterans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of self-reported stroke in a cohort of elderly veterans.
• To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of self-reported stroke.
• To assess the utility of self-reported stroke data in veteran health research.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of prospective cohort prevalence data.
• Inclusion of 88 community-dwelling elderly veterans from North Carolina.
• Comparison of self-reported stroke data with verified stroke occurrence from VHA discharge database and medical records.

Main Results:

• Self-reported stroke demonstrated a sensitivity of 86%.
• Specificity of self-reported stroke was 100%.
• The predictive value of a positive self-reported stroke was 100%.

Conclusions:

• Veterans' self-reports of stroke are highly accurate.
• Self-reported stroke data is reliable for preliminary epidemiological studies.
• This data supports the use of self-reports in veteran cerebrovascular disease research.