Abstract
Background: The Fire Department of the City of New York World Trade Center Health Program (FDNY-WTCHP) monitors and treats WTC-related illnesses through regular physical exams, self-administered health questionnaires and treatment visits, as indicated. Methods: We measured positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) of self-reported diagnoses of GERD and rhinosinusitis from the health questionnaires in relation to FDNY physician diagnoses from the medical record. Results: Self-reported GERD had PPV and NPV of 54.0% and 95.7%, respectively; for rhinosinusitis, the PPV and NPV were 48.2% and 91.9%. These characteristics improved considerably (PPV 78.0% GERD and PPV 76.5% rhinosinusitis) in a subpopulation receiving medications from the FDNY-WTCHP. Conclusion: The PPV of self-reported diagnoses demonstrates only modest value in predicting physician diagnoses, although high NPVs suggest benefit in ruling out disease. In subgroups selected for their higher disease prevalence, self-reported diagnoses may be considerably more useful.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1181-1187 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | American Journal of Industrial Medicine |
Volume | 57 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1 2014 |
Keywords
- Firefighters and EMS
- GERD
- Medical records
- Negative predictive values
- Positive predictive values
- Rhinosinusitis
- Self-report
- World trade center
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health