Search resultsInfluence of the recall period on self-reported alcohol intake
Title
Influence of the recall period on self-reported alcohol intake
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2004
Authors
Journal
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume
58
Issue
1
Pagination
60 - 63
Date published
2004
ISBN
09543007 (ISSN)
Keywords
accuracy, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, alcoholic beverage, Alcoholic Beverages, article, controlled study, Denmark, drinking behavior, Female, health survey, Health Surveys, human, Humans, information processing, Interview, male, Mental Recall, Middle Aged, morbidity, Odds Ratio, population research, Questionnaires, recall, Reproducibility of Results, Self Disclosure, self report, sensitivity and specificity, time, Time Factors, Validity
Abstract
Objective: To estimate the accuracy of recall on self-reported alcohol intake. Design: Population-based random sample. Setting: The Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 1994. Subjects: The study is based on 6,354 persons chosen at random among the adult Danish citizens. The response rate was 77%. Main outcome measure: Number of alcoholic drinks consumed on each day during the last week. Results: For self-reported alcohol intake on the last Saturday, respondents with a recall period of one day have the shortest recall period (reference group) and respondents with a recall period of seven days the longest. Respondents with a recall period of seven days reported significant lower alcohol intake (Odds Ratio: 0.56). The reported alcohol intake declines when the recall period increases. The decline in recall of alcohol intake is very clear already after 2-3 days. Conclusion: The systematic decrease in reported alcohol use with increased recall period indicates problems in correctly reporting alcohol intake for a full week. Many surveys use recall periods that are longer than a week and, therefore, underreported alcohol intake is expected to be even higher.