Key result
Self-reported hypertension identifies only ~37% of true cases despite high specificity.
Why the study?
Accurate awareness of hypertension reported to clinicians is important for diagnosis, especially in settings with limited clinical history such as emergency care.
Is self-reported hypertension accurate compared to measured resting blood pressure in adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=283)
Is self-reported hypertension accurate compared to measured resting blood pressure in adults?
Self-reported absence of hypertension is highly specific, but self-report has low sensitivity for identifying true hypertension, highlighting the need for objective measurement.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Self-reported hypertension shows low sensitivity but high specificity; leaves open whether targeted education improves accuracy in emergency or limited-history settings.
Patient awareness of medical conditions may influence treatment seeking and monitoring of these conditions. Accurate awareness of hypertension reported to clinicians evaluating patients for whom clinical history is limited, such as in emergency care, can aid in diagnosis by revealing whether measured hypertension is typical or atypical. Measurement of blood pressure in a laboratory study was assessed at rest, immediately before phlebotomy, and within 10 minutes after. The resting measure was used to determine the accuracy of self-reported hypertension in 283 adults. Parametric analyses were conducted to identify potential variables influencing accuracy of self-reported hypertension. Sensitivity, specificity, and the kappa coefficient of agreement were calculated to determine the influence of alcohol dependence (AD), sex, age, and cigarette smoking on hypertension awareness. Self-report was mildly sensitive, correctly identifying individuals with hypertension in approximately 37% of the cases, but was highly specific (95%) in identifying individuals without hypertension. Similar sensitivities were found in analyses separated by sex. Sensitivity was greater in those over age 55 (53%) in comparison with those <54, as well as in those who were not smoking. Comparison of those with and without a history of AD revealed that both groups show similar accuracy in reporting hypertension. Absence of hypertension can be accurately determined with self-report data in those without hypertension. A significant proportion of those with measured hypertension report an absence of hypertension.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Wellman et al. (2020) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=283). Self-reported hypertension vs. Measured resting blood pressure was evaluated on Accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of self-reported hypertension. Self-reported hypertension correctly identified individuals with hypertension in only 37% of cases (sensitivity), but was highly specific in identifying those without hypertension.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: