title: Influence of the recall period on self-reported alcohol intake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the accuracy of recall on self-reported alcohol intake.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based random sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 1994.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is based on 6,354 persons chosen at random among the adult Danish citizens. The response rate was 77%.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of alcoholic drinks consumed on each day during the last week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For self-reported alcohol intake on the last Saturday, respondents with a recall period of one day have the shortest recall period (reference group) and respondents with a recall period of seven days the longest. Respondents with a recall period of seven days reported significant lower alcohol intake (Odds Ratio: 0.56). The reported alcohol intake declines when the recall period increases. The decline in recall of alcohol intake is very clear already after 2-3 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The systematic decrease in reported alcohol use with increased recall period indicates problems in correctly reporting alcohol intake for a full week. Many surveys use recall periods that are longer than a week and, therefore, underreported alcohol intake is expected to be even higher.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. oek@niph.dk
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekholm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors