Record-Linkage Refusal and Chronic Health Conditions in the National Health Interview Survey

• Activity Number: 413
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Jennifer D. Parker* and Judith Weissman and Renee Gindi and Donna Miller and Eric Miller
• Companies: National Center for Health Statistics and National Center for Health Statistics and National Center for Health Statistics and National Center for Health Statistics and National Center for Health Statistics
• Keywords: record linkage ; consent ; health ; National Health Interview Survey ; bias

Abstract

National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data are regularly linked to administrative records to maximize the scientific value of the survey. Differences between adults who consent to and those who refuse record linkage (record-linkage refusal) could potentially bias study results based on linked data files. Using the 2010-2013 NHIS, we examined whether record-linkage refusal was associated with selected chronic health conditions and reported health status among adults. Record-linkage refusal was less likely for adults reporting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer or serious psychological distress. Compared to adults with excellent health, those with poor and fair health were less likely to refuse record-linkage. As the number of these chronic health conditions increased, the odds of refusal decreased. Our findings suggest that adults with chronic health conditions are less likely to refuse record-linkage.