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Updated: Jul 31, 2025

A Methodological Approach to Non-invasive Assessments of Vascular Function and Morphology
Published on: February 7, 2015
Reliability and Validity of self-reported Vascular Risk Factors in a Multi-Ethnic Community Based Study of Aging and
Introduction:
The reliability and validity of self-reported cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors remains inconsistent in aging research.
Methods:
We assessed the reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, and percent agreement of self-reported hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, in comparison with direct measures of blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and medication use in 1870 participants in a multiethic study of aging and dementia.
Results:
Reliability of self-reported for hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease was excellent. Agreement between self-reports and clinical measures was moderate for hypertension (kappa: 0.58), good for diabetes (kappa: 0.76-0.79), and moderate for heart disease (kappa: 0.45) differing slightly by age, sex, education, and race/ethnic group. Sensitivity and specificity for hypertension was 88.6%-78.1%, for diabetes was 87.7%-92.0% (HbA1c > 6.5%) or 92.7%-92.8% (HbA1c > 7%), and for heart disease was 85.8%-75.5%.
Discussion:
Self-reported history of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease are reliable and valid compared to direct measurements or medication use.
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Prepare for the Procedure:

