OBJECTIVE: Surnames have the potential to accurately identify ancestral origins as they are passed on from generation to generation. In this study, we developed and validated a Chinese surname list to define Chinese ethnicity. METHODS: We conducted a literature review, a panel review, and a telephone survey in a randomly selected sample from a Canadian city in 2003 to develop a Chinese surname list. The list was then validated to data from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Both surveys collected information on self-reported ethnicity and surname. RESULTS: Of the 112,452 people analyzed in the Canadian Community Health Survey, 1.6% were self-reported as Chinese. This was similar to the 1.5% identified by the surname list. Compared with self-reported Chinese ethnicity (reference standard), the surname list had 77.7% sensitivity, 80.5% positive predictive value, 99.7% specificity, and 99.6% negative predictive value. When stratifying by sex and marital status, the positive predictive value was 78.9% for married women and 83.6% for never married women. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese surname list appears to be valid in identifying Chinese ethnicity. The validity may depend on the geographic origins and Chinese dialects in given populations.
OBJECTIVE: Surnames have the potential to accurately identify ancestral origins as they are passed on from generation to generation. In this study, we developed and validated a Chinese surname list to define Chinese ethnicity. METHODS: We conducted a literature review, a panel review, and a telephone survey in a randomly selected sample from a Canadian city in 2003 to develop a Chinese surname list. The list was then validated to data from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Both surveys collected information on self-reported ethnicity and surname. RESULTS: Of the 112,452 people analyzed in the Canadian Community Health Survey, 1.6% were self-reported as Chinese. This was similar to the 1.5% identified by the surname list. Compared with self-reported Chinese ethnicity (reference standard), the surname list had 77.7% sensitivity, 80.5% positive predictive value, 99.7% specificity, and 99.6% negative predictive value. When stratifying by sex and marital status, the positive predictive value was 78.9% for married women and 83.6% for never married women. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese surname list appears to be valid in identifying Chinese ethnicity. The validity may depend on the geographic origins and Chinese dialects in given populations.
Authors: Hude Quan; Nadia Khan; Bing Li; Karin H Humphries; Peter Faris; P Diane Galbraith; Michelle Graham; Merril L Knudtson; William A Ghali Journal: Can J Cardiol Date: 2010 Aug-Sep Impact factor: 5.223
Authors: Baiju R Shah; Maria Chiu; Shubarna Amin; Meera Ramani; Sharon Sadry; Jack V Tu Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2010-05-15 Impact factor: 4.615
Authors: Brenda R Hemmelgarn; Fiona Clement; Braden J Manns; Scott Klarenbach; Matthew T James; Pietro Ravani; Neesh Pannu; Sofia B Ahmed; Jennifer MacRae; Nairne Scott-Douglas; Kailash Jindal; Robert Quinn; Bruce F Culleton; Natasha Wiebe; Richard Krause; Laurel Thorlacius; Marcello Tonelli Journal: BMC Nephrol Date: 2009-10-19 Impact factor: 2.388
Authors: Aman P K Nijjar; Hong Wang; Kaberi Dasgupta; Doreen M Rabi; Hude Quan; Nadia A Khan Journal: Cardiovasc Diabetol Date: 2010-01-22 Impact factor: 9.951