Reliability of Retrospective Self-Reports of Physical Illness

Abstract

Using a test-retest method, the present study investigated the degree to which physical health problems occurring during the past year can be reported reliably on a retrospective questionnaire. 62 undergraduate students were administered an illness questionnaire on two occasions separated by 14 days. Product-moment correlations between test and retest reports on six health measures were significant and ranged from .66 to .91. The current findings point to the reliability of illness-by-illness reporting as well as self-reports of incidence rather than duration of illness. Both acute and chronic illnesses seem to be reported reliably; men and women reported their health disorders in an equally accurate manner.