Agreement between administrative data and patients' self-reports of race/ethnicity.
OBJECTIVE
We examined agreement of administrative data with self-reported race/ethnicity and identified correlates of agreement.


METHODS
We used Veterans Affairs administrative data and VA 1999 Large Health survey race/ethnicity data.


RESULTS
Relatively low rates of agreement (approximately 60%) between data sources were largely the result of administrative data from patients whose race/ethnicity was unknown, with least agreement for Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander patients. After exclusion of patients with missing race/ethnicity, agreement improved except for Native Americans. Agreement did not increase substantially after inclusion of data from individuals indicating multiple race/ethnicities. Patients for whom there was better agreement between data sources tended to be less educated, non-solitary living, younger, and White; to have sufficient food; and to use more inpatient Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care.


CONCLUSIONS
Better reporting of race/ethnicity data will improve agreement between data sources. Previous studies using VA administrative data may have underestimated racial disparities.
Kressin
Nancy R
NR
Center for Health Quality, Outcomes and Economic Research (a Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development National Center of Excellence), Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, MA 01730, USA. nkressin@bu.edu
Chang
Bei-Hung
BH
Hendricks
Ann
A
Kazis
Lewis E
LE
D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards*; D003710:Demography; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000145:classification*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010361:Patients / Q000145:classification*; D040442:Public Health Informatics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000145:classification*