VALIDITY OF PARENTAL REPORT OF A CHILDS MEDICAL HISTORY IN OTITIS-MEDIA RESEARCH

The authors compared parental reports with medical records for 157 chi ldren enrolled in a prospective study of chronic otitis media with eff usion between 1987 and 1991. Parents completed a questionnaire about t he child's past health history, and the research nurse abstracted hist ory information from the clinic's medical record. Previous insertion o f a tympanostomy tube (kappa = 0.96) and premature birth (kappa = 0.68 ) were accurately reported, but there was a substantial proportion of missing data for age at first episode of otitis media, occurrence of o titis media the previous summer, and number of episodes in the previou s 18 months. Data were significantly more likely to be missing for mal e children, children with siblings, and those with more episodes. Pare nts who reported six or more previous episodes for their child overest imated the number compared with the medical record (8.7 vs. 7.4, respe ctively; p = 0.01), while those who reported fewer episodes underestim ated the number (3.1 vs. 4.6, respectively; p = 0.01). Episodes of oti tis media during the 3 months between study visits were also accuratel y reported (kappa = 0.94). The accuracy and completeness of parental r eport of the child's health history was influenced by the chronicity o f otitis media, the duration of recall, and the seriousness of the eve nt being recalled.