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Validity of self-reported use of antihypertensives and lipid modifying agents: Results from the population-based HUNT

Kjerstin Solstad Olsen1, Stein Ivar Hallan2, Geir Selbæk3

  • 1Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Annals of Epidemiology
|May 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Self-reported use of blood pressure and lipid-modifying medications is highly reliable, though accuracy varies with age, sex, and cognitive function. This finding is crucial for epidemiological studies on cardiovascular disease prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacovigilance
  • Epidemiology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a significant global health challenge.
  • Accurate data on blood pressure medications and lipid-modifying agents are vital for CVD prevention and treatment research.
  • Understanding factors influencing self-reported medication use accuracy is critical for epidemiological validity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the accuracy of self-reported blood pressure medication and lipid-modifying agent use.
  • To investigate the influence of age, sex, and cognitive function on reporting accuracy in a large Norwegian cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT4, 2017-19).
  • Accuracy assessed using sensitivity, specificity, and Cohen's Kappa, with the Norwegian Prescribed Drug Registry as the gold standard.
  • Analyses stratified by age, sex, and cognitive function (in participants aged 70+).

Main Results:

  • High sensitivity and specificity (>90%) for both medication classes.
  • Substantial to almost perfect agreement (Kappa 0.74-0.81) for self-reported use.
  • Reporting accuracy was highest in middle-aged individuals, women, and cognitively healthy participants, decreasing with older age and cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

  • Self-reported data on blood pressure and lipid-modifying medication use demonstrate high reliability.
  • Age, sex, and cognitive function significantly influence the accuracy of self-reported medication data.
  • Findings highlight the need to consider demographic and cognitive factors in epidemiological research relying on self-reported medication use.
Abstract

Keywords:
Blood pressure medicationCognitionDrug prescriptionsHypolipidemic agentsRegistriesSelf reportSex factors

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