Have you had a tetanus booster in the last 10 years? Sensitivity and specificity of the question.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of patients' recall of their last Tetanus/Diphtheria (Td) booster in the setting of employee health clinics known for high immunization rates and good documentation of vaccine status.


METHODS
Five hundred and seventy-two patients of an employee health clinic answered a written questionnaire about whether they have had a Td booster in the last 10 years. Answers were compared with patients' charts as the gold standard.


RESULTS
The sensitivity of the question is 92.4% (95% CI 89.0-95.0) and specificity is 26.5% (95% CI 12.9-44.4). Positive predictive value is 92.6% (95% CI 89.3-95.2) and negative predictive value is 25.7% (95% CI 12.5-43.3). Age and gender do not affect the accuracy of recall.


CONCLUSIONS
A positive answer to this question is highly reliable whereas a negative answer is unreliable.


CONCLUSIONS
In the setting of employee health clinics, when patients affirm the receipt of a Td booster within the previous 10 years, it is quite likely that they are up to date and do not require re-administration of the vaccine. Any other answer to this question (No, I do not know) is unreliable and a booster should be recommended if not contraindicated.
Hagen
Philip T
PT
The Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States.
Bond
Allison R
AR
Rehman
Hamid
H
Molella
Robin G
RG
Murad
M Hassan
MH
D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007117:Immunization, Secondary / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D022422:Diphtheria-Tetanus Vaccine