Race and Validity of Self-Reported Pneumococcal Vaccination
Author Information
Author(s): Gordon Nancy P, Wortley Pascale M, Singleton James A, Lin Teresa Y, Bardenheier Barbara H
Primary Institution: Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
Hypothesis
Is there a difference in the validity of self-report for pneumococcal vaccination by race/ethnicity that contributes to disparities in vaccination coverage?
Conclusion
Differential self-report error may contribute to the size and direction of race-ethnic disparities in pneumococcal vaccination observed in surveys.
Supporting Evidence
- Sensitivity was significantly lower for Blacks and Latinos than for Whites.
- Coverage based on self-report was higher for Whites compared to medical records.
- Under-reporting of vaccination was more common among Blacks and Latinos than Whites.
Takeaway
This study found that people from different races may not accurately remember if they got a pneumonia shot, which can make it look like some groups are getting vaccinated less than they really are.
Methodology
Self-reported vaccination status was compared with medical record documentation for samples of White, Black, and Latino members of a large health plan.
Potential Biases
Potential differences in awareness and communication between patients and doctors could affect self-report accuracy.
Limitations
The study sample was limited to members of one health plan and may not be representative of the broader U.S. population.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 66-85, self-identified as White, Black, or Latino, and were continuous members of the health plan.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.818–0.876 for Blacks; 95% CI 0.847–0.889 for Latinos; 95% CI 0.918–0.942 for Whites
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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