ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The reliability and validity of self-reported cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors remains inconsistent in aging research.
METHODS We assessed the reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, and percent agreement of self-reported hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, in comparison with direct measures of blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and medication use in 1870 participants in a multiethic study of aging and dementia.
RESULTS Reliability of self-reported for hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease was excellent. Agreement between self-reports and clinical measures was moderate for hypertension (kappa: 0.58), good for diabetes (kappa: 0.76-0.79), and moderate for heart disease (kappa: 0.45) differing slightly by age, sex, education, and race/ethnic group. Sensitivity and specificity for hypertension was 88.6%-78.1%, for diabetes was 87.7%-92.0% (HbA1c>6.5%) or 92.7%-92.8% (HbA1c >7%), and for heart disease was 85.8%-75.5%.
DISCUSSION Self-reported history of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease are reliable and valid compared to direct measurements or medication use.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Funding Statement
This research is supported by National Institutes of Health grants R01AG037212, R01AG072474, R25GM143298, and U24AG074855.
Author Declarations
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Yes
The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
Ethics committee/IRB of Columbia University gave ethical approval for this work.
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Footnotes
Conflicts of Interest: None of the authors have existing conflicts of interest to report.
Data Availability
All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors All data produced in the present work are contained in the manuscript