title: Methodological Aspects of Subjective Life Expectancy: Effects of Culture-Specific Reporting Heterogeneity Among Older Adults in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Subjective life expectancy (SLE) has been suggested as a predictor of mortality and mortality-related behaviors. Although critical for culturally diverse societies, these findings do not consider cross-cultural methodological comparability. Culture-specific reporting heterogeneity is a well-known phenomenon introducing biases, and research on this issue with SLE is not established.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined reporting heterogeneity in SLE focusing on item nonresponse, focal points, and reports over time for five ethnic-cultural groups: non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, non-Hispanic other races, English-interviewed Hispanics, and Spanish-interviewed Hispanics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On item nonresponse, Spanish-interviewed Hispanics said, "I don't know," to SLE significantly more than any other groups. Nearly half of the respondents chose 0, 50, or 100, making them focal points. However, the focal points differed: 50 for Whites, 100 for Blacks, and 0 for Spanish-interviewed Hispanics. The relationship of SLE measured at two time points was higher for Whites than minorities. Moreover, those who said "I don't know" to SLE showed higher subsequent mortality than those who gave an answer. SLE was not a significant mortality predictor for Hispanics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, SLE is not free from culture-specific reporting heterogeneity. This warrants further research about its culture-relevant measurement mechanisms.
authors: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. sungheel@umich.edu.
authors: Sunghee
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors: Jacqui
authors: J
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015982:Bias; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000208:ethnology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D014481:United States
keywords: Mortality predictions; Nonresponse; Racial and ethnic minorities; Reporting heterogeneity; Subjective life expectancy