VALIDITY OF CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE RISK-FACTORS ASSESSED BY TELEPHONESURVEY - THE BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEY

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects teleph one interview data on behaviors for the leading causes of premature de ath and disability. Its validity has never been adequately studied. Th e authors replicated BRFSS methodology to validate self-reported cardi ovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Nine-hundred and eleven subjects from three upstate New York counties were interviewed between 1/89 an d 5/90. Interviewees were offered physical examinations and laboratory testing for CVD risk factors; 282 men and 344 women participated. The authors studied validity by comparing objectively measured to self-re ported CVD risk factors. Sensitivities for self-reported hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, smoking, and diabetes were: 43, 44, 74 , 82 and 75%, respectively. Only smoking sensitivity differed by gende r: men, 77%; women, 86%. Specificity was > 85% for all risk factors, e xcept hypercholesterolemia in men (75%). Prevalence was underreported for hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and smoking by 43, 50 , 25 and 17%, respectively. Results suggest telephone survey research includes physiologic measurements for blood pressure, cholesterol, hei ght, weight, and smoking to validate self-reported CVD risk factors. W hen this is impossible, results such as these can be used, in similar samples, to correct risk factor prevalence rates from telephone survey s for misclassifications.