Retrospective Smoking History Data Collection for Deceased Workers: Completeness and Accuracy of Surrogate Reports

Details

• Personal Author:
  Pinney SM ; Woo JG
• Description:
  Few studies have considered the completeness and accuracy of smoking histories from surrogates for deceased workers. We surveyed 68 surrogates for uranium plant workers who completed smoking histories before their deaths. Completeness: 96% of surrogates answered definitively (yes or no) about overall smoking status (e.g., used any tobacco type), and 79 to 100% of those answered definitively about specific tobacco types. Of those reporting positive history, 50% to 67% answered detailed questions. Accuracy: Surrogates were accurate about overall smoking status (Kappa (kappa) = 0.75) compared with index self-report, but tended to underreport (P = 0.10). Spouses and nonspouses performed similarly. Accuracy by tobacco type was moderate (kappa = 0.21 to 0.56), with cigar smoking underreported. Surrogates for cigarette smokers underreported duration and amount smoked. Surrogates for deceased workers can report accurately on overall smoking status, but underreport other smoking habits. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Epidemiology Occupational Health Risk Assessment Safety Smokers Surveys And Questionnaires Tobacco Products
• Keywords:
  Cigarette-smoking Exposure-levels Questionnaires Risk-analysis Statistical-analysis
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  64
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20034192
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2002 Oct; 64(10):915-923
• Contact Point Address:
  University of Cincinnati, Department of Environmental Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056, USA
• Email:
  agwoo@yahoo.com
• CAS Registry Number:
  Uranium (CAS RN 7440-61-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2003
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19990701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20011030
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:14d7caa8bd3af44bf28de84f5ec83b4c707167ddfff745fb328be585566c942b090f64ed769e8560c0be0924d828ef5fad060ff943b0c267ea21ff04fc5ab49e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189519/cdc_189519_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 234.39 KB ]