Validity and Reliability of Self-Report in Cancer Screening

Jeong, Ihn Sook; Kim, Yoon Jin; Lee, Sangyeoup; Chun, Jin Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The study was aimed to examine the validity and the reliability of self-report of gastric cancer screening (endoscopy or upper GI), mammography, and Pap smear.
METHODS
The study subjects for validity included those who had undergone 276 endoscopies or UGIs, 127 mammograms, and 125 Pap smears performed at a health promotion center of P and I university hospital during January 1, 1999 to June 30, 1999 and January 1, 2002 to June 30, 2002. The study subjects for reliability included those who had undergone 86 endoscopies or UGIs, 31 mammograms, and 33 Pap smears who went through two surveys. The data was collected by mail or telephone interview. We calculated the sensitivity of self-reports by comparing the self-report and the laboratory results as a gold standard, and the agreement between repeateds reportings.
RESULTS
The sensitivities based on the test year were 49.3% for gastric cancer screening, 56.7% for mammography, and 53.6% Pap smear, and the sensitivities on the test month were 39.1%, 45.7%, and 46.4%, respectively. The agreement between the two self-reporting on the test year were 59.6% for gastric cancer screening, 67.7% for mammography, and 63.6% Pap smear, and the agreement on the test month were 82.3% for gastric cancer screening, 74.2% for mammography, and 72.7% for Pap smear.
CONCLUSION
Self-report alone may not provide accurate or reliable data on the cancer screening compliance. It is recommended to utilize other objective data for cancer screening. And it would be helpful to utilize a memo-book as a reminder to screen for cancer in order to enhance the validity and the reliability of self-report.