TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence estimates of asthma or COPD from a health interview survey and from general practitioner registration
T2 - What's the difference?
AU - Mohangoo, Ashna D.
AU - Van Der Linden, Michiel W.
AU - Schellevis, François G.
AU - Raat, Hein
PY - 2006/2
Y1 - 2006/2
N2 - Background: The aim of this study was to compare prevalence estimates of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) derived from self-report in a health interview survey and from general practitioners' (GPs') medical records, and to explain any differences. Methods: the presence of asthma or COPD was measured by self-report in a random sample of 104 general practices in the Netherlands (n = 19 685) participating in the second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2). This was compared with the presence of GP-diagnosed asthma or COPD in the same population as recorded using the International Classification of Primary Care by their GPs during a 12-month period. Gender, age, health insurance, ethnic background, educational level, tobacco exposure, and other symptoms and conditions were evaluated as explanatory variables using logistic models. Results: The prevalence of self-reported asthma or COPD (9.7%) was almost twice as high as the prevalence based on GP information (5.2%). The medical records of patients who reported having asthma or COPD, without having a diagnosis in their medical records, usually included other respiratory conditions. Patients reporting no asthma or COPD but whose medical records carried a diagnosis of asthma or COPD, were relatively older (P < 0.01) and tended to be exposed to smoking in their home (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Two methods for estimating prevalence of asthma or COPD yielded different results: compared with GP medical records, self-reported prevalence shows an overestimation in people who suffer from other respiratory conditions and an underestimation in elderly persons living in a smoky environment.
AB - Background: The aim of this study was to compare prevalence estimates of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) derived from self-report in a health interview survey and from general practitioners' (GPs') medical records, and to explain any differences. Methods: the presence of asthma or COPD was measured by self-report in a random sample of 104 general practices in the Netherlands (n = 19 685) participating in the second Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2). This was compared with the presence of GP-diagnosed asthma or COPD in the same population as recorded using the International Classification of Primary Care by their GPs during a 12-month period. Gender, age, health insurance, ethnic background, educational level, tobacco exposure, and other symptoms and conditions were evaluated as explanatory variables using logistic models. Results: The prevalence of self-reported asthma or COPD (9.7%) was almost twice as high as the prevalence based on GP information (5.2%). The medical records of patients who reported having asthma or COPD, without having a diagnosis in their medical records, usually included other respiratory conditions. Patients reporting no asthma or COPD but whose medical records carried a diagnosis of asthma or COPD, were relatively older (P < 0.01) and tended to be exposed to smoking in their home (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Two methods for estimating prevalence of asthma or COPD yielded different results: compared with GP medical records, self-reported prevalence shows an overestimation in people who suffer from other respiratory conditions and an underestimation in elderly persons living in a smoky environment.
KW - Asthma
KW - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
KW - General practice registration
KW - Health interview survey
KW - Prevalence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=32244446804&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=32244446804&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/cki043
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/cki043
M3 - Article
C2 - 16141304
AN - SCOPUS:32244446804
SN - 1101-1262
VL - 16
SP - 101
EP - 105
JO - European journal of public health
JF - European journal of public health
IS - 1
ER -