Comparing self-reported and physician-reported medical history.
The authors compared self-reported medical history and medication use in a cataract case-control study of 1,380 persons (1985-1989) in Boston, Massachusetts, with information from the participants' physicians. Under- and overreporting varied by condition and type of medication. A self-reported history of hypertension had the highest sensitivity (91%), and diabetes history had the highest specificity (97%). Among different medications investigated, self-reported antihypertensive medication use was the most sensitive (88%), while self-reported use of insulin was the most specific (99%). Differences between patient- and physician-reported frequencies were very small, except for arthritis (15%) and regular aspirin use (21%). Results suggest an accurate recall of medical and drug usage history in well-defined chronic conditions.
Kehoe
R
R
Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-8036.
Wu
S Y
SY
Leske
M C
MC
Chylack
L T
LT
D000368:Aged; D015982:Bias; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*