title: Validity of physicians' self-reports of cardiovascular disease risk factors.
abstract: To determine the accuracy of self-reported risk factors in 78 physicians, self-reported information was compared to findings on a standardized examination. Measured weight (r = 0.98), height (r = 0.95), body mass index (r = 0.96), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.72), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.60) were highly correlated with self-reported values (all P < 0.0001). Mean self-reported SBP and DBP did not differ from measured values; measured weight was 1.5 kg greater and measured height 1.4 cm less than self-reported values (both p < 0.0001). Regression of measured on self-reported values indicated excellent agreement except for DBP and heart rate. Differences between measured and self-reported values were not associated with a variety of variables except for a greater difference in SBP at higher levels of SBP. None of the 60 self-reported nonsmokers had expired carbon monoxide levels greater than 10 ppm. These results indicate that physicians' self-reports of height, body mass index, SBP, and smoking are extremely accurate and suitable for research purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Klag
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires