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Comparing self-reported and physician-reported medical history
1Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-8036.
American Journal of Epidemiology
|April 15, 1994
Summary
Patient recall of medical history and medication use is generally accurate for chronic conditions. This study found high sensitivity for hypertension and high specificity for diabetes history, indicating reliable self-reporting.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Clinical Research
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Accurate medical history and medication data are crucial for clinical decision-making and research.
- Self-reported data is frequently used but its accuracy can vary significantly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare self-reported medical history and medication use with physician records in a case-control study.
- To assess the accuracy of patient recall for chronic conditions and medication adherence.
Main Methods:
- A cataract case-control study involving 1,380 participants in Boston, MA (1985-1989).
- Comparison of self-reported data with information obtained from participants' physicians.
Main Results:
- Self-reported hypertension history showed high sensitivity (91%); diabetes history demonstrated high specificity (97%).
- Antihypertensive medication use was highly sensitive (88%), while insulin use was highly specific (99%).
- Minor discrepancies were observed for arthritis and regular aspirin use.
Conclusions:
- Self-reported medical and drug usage history appears accurate for well-defined chronic conditions.
- Findings support the reliability of patient recall in epidemiological studies of chronic diseases.