The effects of recall on estimating annual nonfatal injury rates for children and adolescents.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. This study used a recent national population survey on childhood and adolescent non-fatal injuries to investigate the effects of recall bias on estimating annual injury rates. Strategies to adjust for recall bias are recommended. METHODS. The 1988 Child Health Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey collected 12-month recall information on injuries that occurred to a national sample of 17,110 children aged 0 through 17 years. Using information on timing of interviews and reported injuries, estimated annual injury rates were calculated for 12 accumulative recall periods (from 1 to 12 months). RESULTS. The data show significantly declining rates, from 24.4 per 100 for a 1-month recall period to 14.7 per 100 for a 12-month recall period. The largest declines were found for the 0- through 4-year-old age group and for minor injuries. Rates of injuries that caused a school loss day, a bed day, surgery, or hospitalization showed higher stability throughout recall periods. CONCLUSIONS. Varying recall periods have profound effects on the patterns of childhood injury epidemiology that emerge from the data. Recall periods of between 1 and 3 months are recommended for use in similar survey settings.

Relationship between mechanisms and activities at the time of pedestrian injury and activity limitation among school adolescents in Kathmandu, Nepal

“…As students who sustain injury during this time may continue school from next day after having overnight rest unless their injury is very severe; the consideration of 1-day limitation criteria can exclude such injuries. Moreover, only those injury episodes that occurred in the last 3 months preceding the survey were included by using a short recall period (1-3 months) as recommended by previous studies (Harel et al, 1994;Mock et al, 1999a). This recall period is particularly useful for measuring non-fatal injuries and reducing the recall bias.…”

Survey of surgical emergencies in a rural population in the Northern Areas of Pakistan

“…Nor was there an attempt to obtain objective evidence of an illness event in the form of a residual deformity or debility. A 12-month recall period was used to produce higher frequencies of events for analyses, but had the drawback of possible memory decay (Harel et al 1994). To reduce recall bias, the inquiry was limited to specific illness events of serious import.…”

The epidemiology of non-fatal injuries among 11-, 13- and 15-year old youth in 11 countries: findings from the 1998 WHO-HBSC cross national survey

“…Other studies were based on consequences of injuries, such as hospital admissions (Spady et al 2004) and visits to clinics (Hambridge et al 2002). Studies of the epidemiology of non-fatal injuries found that most non-fatal injuries result from recreational and sport activities and these occur mainly at school, home and in the neighbourhood (Harel et al 1994, Scheidt et al 1995, King et al 1996a, Harel 1998a. Each of these locations provides opportunities for intervention.…”