Validation of an Arab name algorithm in the determination of Arab ancestry for use in health research.
OBJECTIVE
Data about Arab-Americans, a growing ethnic minority, are not routinely collected in vital statistics, registry, or administrative data in the USA. The difficulty in identifying Arab-Americans using publicly available data sources is a barrier to health research about this group. Here, we validate an empirically based probabilistic Arab name algorithm (ANA) for identifying Arab-Americans in health research.


METHODS
We used data from all Michigan birth certificates between 2000 and 2005. Fathers' surnames and mothers' maiden names were coded as Arab or non-Arab according to the ANA. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of Arab ethnicity inferred using the ANA as compared to self-reported Arab ancestry.


RESULTS
Statewide, the ANA had a specificity of 98.9%, a sensitivity of 50.3%, a PPV of 57.0%, and an NPV of 98.6%. Both the false-positive and false-negative rates were higher among men than among women. As the concentration of Arab-Americans in a study locality increased, the ANA false-positive rate increased and false-negative rate decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
The ANA is highly specific but only moderately sensitive as a means of detecting Arab ancestry. Future research should compare health characteristics among Arab-American populations defined by Arab ancestry and those defined by the ANA.
El-Sayed
Abdulrahman M
AM
Medical School, University of Michigan, 1500 Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. elabdul@umich.edu
Lauderdale
Diane S
DS
Galea
Sandro
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D018912:Arabs / Q000208:ethnology*; D001719:Birth Certificates; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009275:Names; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D057566:Self Report; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult