"How Hard Could it Be?" A Descriptive Analysis of Errors Made on a Validated Lifetime Physical Activity Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of historical physical activity is crucial for epidemiologic research.
• Self-report questionnaires are commonly used but prone to data reporting errors.
• This study investigated errors in two validated questionnaires: Lifetime Physical Activity Questionnaire (LPAQ) and Occupational Questionnaire (OQ).

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe data reporting errors made by women using the LPAQ and OQ.
• To compare error rates between paper and electronic versions of these questionnaires.
• To identify common types of errors in self-reported physical activity data.

Main Methods:

• 229 women aged 38-65 completed questionnaires on paper (n=160) or via web interface (n=69).
• A research assistant collected data, identified errors, and contacted participants for clarification.
• Error analysis focused on inconsistencies, duration reporting, and missing information.

Main Results:

• Women made an average of 9.7 errors on paper LPAQ vs. 7.1 on electronic.
• Women made an average of 2.6 errors on paper OQ vs. 1.1 on electronic.
• Electronic versions had fewer combined errors (8.5) than paper versions (12.7); only ~2% completed without errors.

Conclusions:

• Self-report questionnaires are susceptible to various data reporting errors.
• Additional participant instructions (verbal/written) and post-completion follow-up are recommended.
• Improving data accuracy is essential for reliable epidemiologic findings on physical activity.