Can registry data be used as a proxy for perceived stress? A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Perceived stress is a significant factor in mental health.
• Registry data offers a potential source for large-scale health assessments.
• Validating registry data against survey measures is crucial for its application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of national registry data as a proxy for perceived stress.
• To examine the association between self-reported perceived stress and healthcare utilization in national registries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2010 Health Survey in the North Denmark Region (n=21,842).
• Linked survey responses on perceived stress (Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale) with national health registries (2009-2011).
• Analyzed associations between perceived stress quartiles and records of psychiatric medication and consultations.

Main Results:

• Individuals in the highest perceived stress quartile had significantly higher odds (OR=7.3) of psychiatric prescriptions or consultations compared to the lowest quartile.
• Sensitivity and positive predictive values for registry data as a proxy for perceived stress were low (8.7%-56.8%).
• Specificity and negative agreement were higher (85.5%-98.0%), indicating better identification of those without stress-related healthcare use.

Conclusions:

• High perceived stress correlates with increased psychiatric healthcare utilization documented in registries.
• Low predictive values of registry data limit its suitability as a direct proxy for perceived stress.
• Further research is needed to refine the use of registry data for mental health monitoring.