title: Comparison of self-reported and physician-reported antidepressant medication use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-reported medication histories obtained in pharmacoepidemiologic case-control studies are subject to non-differential misclassification and to recall bias. The accuracy of self-reported antidepressant medication use has never been evaluated, but it is important in light of the hypothesis that antidepressant medications may be associated with cancer risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within a case-control study of several cancer sites, we compared self-reported antidepressant medication use with antidepressant use recorded in physicians' records. All female cases (n = 147) and controls (n = 119) who reported antidepressant medication use, and a 10% random sample (n = 114) of those who reported no antidepressant use, were asked to provide consent to contact, and the name(s) of their physician(s). These physicians completed a data abstraction form including information on antidepressant prescriptions recorded in patients' medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Substantial agreement was found between subject- and physician-reported antidepressant medication use (kappa = 0.60 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.47-0.74]; agreement = 80%), and use of specific antidepressant medications (agreement ranged from 82 to 100%), while moderate agreement was observed for duration of use (weighted kappa = 0.56 (95% CI, 0.32-0.79)), and date of first use [weighted kappa = 0.48 (95% CI, 0.23-0.72)]. The level of agreement did not differ markedly between cases and controls, except for duration of use, where agreement was somewhat greater for cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The similar level of agreement among cases and controls suggests that differential misclassification (e.g., recall bias) is unlikely in the reporting of most aspects of antidepressant medication use by women. Furthermore, the overall accurate self-reporting of antidepressant use suggests that there should be minimal non-differential antidepressant exposure misclassification.
authors.affiliation: Division of Preventive Oncology, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cotterchio
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kreiger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Darlington
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steingart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents