There are several considerations for whether our findings on asthma can be generalized to other types of health conditions. In a related study (Miller, Gaboda and Davis, 2001; see slide 1), we found poor to moderate concurrence on 12 of 13 other chronic children’s health conditions studied, ranging from chronic heart conditions and chronic orthopedic conditions to delays in speech and problems with vision. This study used data for three year-old children, hence patterns could be different for older children or for adults. However, studies of adult health and of health during pregnancy have also found inconsistencies between patient self-reports and medical records.

Related readings:
Jessop DJ, Stein REK, 1995. “Consistent but not the same: Effect of method on chronic condition rates,” Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 149:1105-10.

Olson JE, Shu XO, Ross JA, Pendergrass T, Robison LL. 1997. “Medical record validation of maternally reported birth characteristics and pregnancy-related events: A report from the Children’s Cancer Group,” American Journal of Epidemiology. 145(1):58-67.