title: Validation of self-report of literacy among periurban women in Bolivia.
abstract: Many surveys ask women to rate their literacy level, but the validity of these self-reports is not usually evaluated. In this study of infant health, conducted in Cochabamba, Bolivia, maternal literacy was assessed by the mother herself and by the interviewer, based on the mother's reading a short text aloud. The two ratings were highly correlated (P < 0.001). This finding suggests that maternal self-reports of literacy are very reliable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7400.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: McCann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001838:Bolivia; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D004522:Educational Status; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results