Validity of Self-reported Educational Level in the Tromsø Study

Overview

Journal Scand J Public Health

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Public Health

Date 2022 May 20

PMID 35593433

Authors

Chi Q Vo

Per-Jostein Samuelsen

Hilde L Sommerseth

Torbjorn Wisloff

Tom Wilsgaard

Anne E Eggen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Self-reported data on educational level have been collected for decades in the Tromsø Study, but their validity has yet to be established.

Aim: To investigate the completeness and correctness of self-reported educational level in the Tromsø Study, using data from Statistics Norway. In addition, we explored the consequence of using these two data sources on educational trends in cardiometabolic diseases.

Methods: We compared self-reported and Statistics Norway-recorded educational level (primary, upper secondary, college/university <4 years, and college/university ⩾4 years) among 20,615 participants in the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study (Tromsø7, 2015-2016). Sensitivity, positive predictive value and weighted kappa were used to measure the validity of self-reported educational level in three age groups (40-52, 53-62, 63-99 years). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare educational trends in cardiometabolic diseases between self-reported and Statistics Norway-recorded educational level.

Results: Sensitivity of self-reported educational level was highest among those with a college/university education of 4 years or more (⩾97% in all age groups and both sexes). Sensitivity for primary educational level ranged from 67% to 92% (all age groups and both sexes). The lowest positive predictive value was observed among women with a college/university education of 4 years or more (29-46%). Weighted kappa was substantial (0.52-0.59) among men and moderate to substantial (0.41-0.51) among women. Educational trends in the risk of cardiometabolic diseases were less pronounced when self-reported educational level was used.

Conclusions:

Citing Articles

Longitudinal cholesterol trends across socioeconomic groups in Norway: the influence of lipid-lowering drugs in the population-based Tromsø Study 1994-2016.

Vo C, Wilsgaard T, Samuelsen P, Mathiesen E, Sommerseth H, Eggen A BMJ Open. 2024; 14(12):e089819.

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Does the association between adiposity measures and pre-frailty among older adults vary by social position? Findings from the Tromsø study 2015/2016.

Uchai S, Andersen L, Thoresen M, Hopstock L, Hjartaker A BMC Public Health. 2024; 24(1):1457.

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Social inequality in prevalence of NCD risk factors: a cross-sectional analysis from the population-based Tromsø Study 2015-2016.

Hetland R, Wilsgaard T, Hopstock L, Ariansen I, Johansson J, Jacobsen B BMJ Open. 2024; 14(4):e080611.

PMID: 38688673 PMC: 11086291. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080611.

Educational patterns of health behaviors and body mass index: A longitudinal multiple correspondence analysis of a middle-aged general population, 2007-2016.

Ibarra-Sanchez A, Abelsen B, Chen G, Wisloff T PLoS One. 2023; 18(12):e0295302.

PMID: 38039296 PMC: 10691680. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295302.

Are relative educational inequalities in multiple health behaviors widening? A longitudinal study of middle-aged adults in Northern Norway.

Ibarra-Sanchez A, Chen G, Wisloff T Front Public Health. 2023; 11:1190087.

PMID: 37674677 PMC: 10477439. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1190087.

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