Jessica A Omand1, Sarah Carsley2, Pauline B Darling3, Patricia C Parkin4, Catherine S Birken4, Marcelo L Urquia5, Marina Khovratovich2, Jonathon L Maguire6. 1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: omandj@smh.ca. 2. Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada. 3. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada; Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada. 4. Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Canada; Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada. 5. Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada. 6. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Division of Pediatric Medicine and the Pediatric Outcomes Research Team, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Canada; Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Measuring ethnicity accurately is important for identifying ethnicity variations in disease risk. We evaluated the degree of agreement and accuracy of maternal ethnicity measured using the new standardized closed-ended geographically based ethnicity question and geographic reclassification of open-ended ethnicity questions from the Canadian census. METHODS: A prospectively designed study of respondent agreement of mothers of healthy children aged 1-5 years recruited through the TARGet Kids! practice-based research network. For the primary analysis, the degree of agreement between geographic reclassification of the Canadian census maternal ethnicity variables and the new geographically based closed-ended maternal ethnicity variable completed by the same respondent was evaluated using a kappa analysis. RESULTS: Eight hundred sixty-two mothers who completed both measures of ethnicity were included in the analysis. The kappa agreement statistic for the two definitions of maternal ethnicity was 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.90) indicating good agreement. Overall accuracy of the measurement was 93%. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 83% to 100% and 96% to 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The new standardized closed-ended geographically based ethnicity question represents a practical alternative to widely used open-ended ethnicity questions. It may reduce risk of misinterpretation of ethnicity by respondents, simplify analysis, and improve the accuracy of ethnicity measurement.
PURPOSE: Measuring ethnicity accurately is important for identifying ethnicity variations in disease risk. We evaluated the degree of agreement and accuracy of maternal ethnicity measured using the new standardized closed-ended geographically based ethnicity question and geographic reclassification of open-ended ethnicity questions from the Canadian census. METHODS: A prospectively designed study of respondent agreement of mothers of healthy children aged 1-5 years recruited through the TARGet Kids! practice-based research network. For the primary analysis, the degree of agreement between geographic reclassification of the Canadian census maternal ethnicity variables and the new geographically based closed-ended maternal ethnicity variable completed by the same respondent was evaluated using a kappa analysis. RESULTS: Eight hundred sixty-two mothers who completed both measures of ethnicity were included in the analysis. The kappa agreement statistic for the two definitions of maternal ethnicity was 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.84-0.90) indicating good agreement. Overall accuracy of the measurement was 93%. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 83% to 100% and 96% to 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The new standardized closed-ended geographically based ethnicity question represents a practical alternative to widely used open-ended ethnicity questions. It may reduce risk of misinterpretation of ethnicity by respondents, simplify analysis, and improve the accuracy of ethnicity measurement.
Authors: Jane Francis; Samantha Ismail; Alison Mildon; Stacia Stewart; Bronwyn Underhill; Valerie Tarasuk; Erica Di Ruggiero; Alex Kiss; Daniel W Sellen; Deborah L O'Connor Journal: Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can Date: 2021-12 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Alison Mildon; Jane Francis; Stacia Stewart; Bronwyn Underhill; Yi Man Ng; Christina Rousseau; Erica Di Ruggiero; Cindy-Lee Dennis; Alex Kiss; Deborah L O'Connor; Daniel W Sellen Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-06-08 Impact factor: 3.006
Authors: Riley M Allison; Catherine S Birken; Gerald Lebovic; Andrew W Howard; Mary R L'Abbe; Marie-Elssa Morency; Jonathon L Maguire Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2020-02-28 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Vinusha Gunaseelan; Patricia C Parkin; Gita Wahi; Catherine S Birken; Jonathon L Maguire; Colin Macarthur; Cornelia M Borkhoff Journal: BMJ Paediatr Open Date: 2020-04-06
Authors: Daniel W Sellen; Deborah L O'Connor; Jane Francis; Alison Mildon; Stacia Stewart; Bronwyn Underhill; Samantha Ismail; Erica Di Ruggiero; Valerie Tarasuk Journal: Int J Equity Health Date: 2021-03-03