Association between an individual housing-based socioeconomic index and inconsistent self-reporting of health conditions: a prospective cohort study in the Mayo Clinic Biobank. Issue 5 (14th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ryu, Euijung; Olson, Janet E; Juhn, Young J; Hathcock, Matthew A; Wi, Chung-Il; Cerhan, James R; Yost, Kathleen J; Takahashi, Paul Y
• Is Part Of: BMJ open. Volume 8:Issue 5(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-05-14
• Subjects: geriatric medicine -- public health -- social medicine; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; 610.72
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-6055

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Using surveys to collect self-reported information on health and disease is commonly used in clinical practice and epidemiological research. However, the inconsistency of self-reported information collected longitudinally in repeated surveys is not well investigated. We aimed to investigate whether a socioeconomic status based on current housing characteristics, HOUsing-based SocioEconomic Status (HOUSES) index linking current address information to real estate property data, is associated with inconsistent self-reporting. Study setting and participants: We performed a prospective cohort study using the Mayo Clinic Biobank (MCB) participants who resided in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, at the time of enrolment between 2009 and 2013, and were invited for a 4-year follow-up survey (n=11 717). Primary and secondary outcome measures: Using repeated survey data collected at the baseline and 4 years later, the primary outcome was the inconsistency in survey results when reporting prevalent diseases, defined by reporting to have 'ever' been diagnosed with a given disease in the baseline survey but reported 'never' in the follow-up survey. Secondary outcome was the response rate for the 4-year follow-up survey. Results: Among the MCB participants invited for the 4-year follow-up survey, 8508/11 717 (73%) responded to the survey. Forty-three per cent had at least one inconsistent self-reported disease. Lower HOUSES was associated with higher inconsistency rates, and the association remained significant after pertinent characteristics such as age and perceived general health (OR=1.46; 95% CI 1.17 to 1.84 for the lowest compared with the highest HOUSES decile). HOUSES was also associated with lower response rate for the follow-up survey (56% vs 77% for the lowest vs the highest HOUSES decile). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the importance of using the HOUSES index that reflects current SES when using self-reporting through repeated surveys, as the HOUSES index at baseline survey was inversely associated with inconsistent self-report and the response rate for the follow-up survey.