Cotinine validation of self-reported smoking in commercially run community surveys

doi:10.1016/0021-9681(87)90105-6

Journal of Chronic Diseases

Volume 40, Issue 7, 1987, Pages 689-695

Journal of Chronic D...

https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9681(87)90105-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

A validation study was carried out on self-reported smoking for 1177 people in Sydney and Melbourne in 1983. Because of its long half life and the fact that smoking is its only source in body fluids, saliva cotinine was chosen as the validation measure. Cotinine levels above 250 nmol/1 were used to classify people as smokers. The sensitivity of self-reported smoking was 92.6% and the specificity was 93.4%. There was some evidence that people in the process of changing their smoking status might be slow in updating their self-classification. The smoking prevalence estimate based on cotinine levels was found to be 1.7% lower than that for self-reported smoking status. The small proportion of false negatives and false positives suggests that commercially collected data banks can be valid sources of prevalence data. Correlation between cotinine level and reported cigarette consumption was not affected by sample volume, and was similar to that achieved for carbon monoxide and thiocyanate at a low 0.34. Regression analysis using self-reported cigarette consumption filter/non-filter cigarettes, and time since last cigarette as predictors, explained 13.6% of the variance in cotinine level.

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^∗: The project was managed by a Steering Committee: A. Cripps (Chairperson),¹ J. Carson,¹ T. Dwyer,² G. Frape,¹ D. Gadiel,³ E. Henry,⁴ B. Herriot,⁵ B. Higham,¹ J. Mullins,⁶ J. Pierce,² C. Sarfaty,⁴ J. Shaw⁷ and S. Walker.⁷ ¹ New South Wales Department of Health,² Commonwealth Institute of Health, ³Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia, ⁴New South Wales State Cancer Council, ⁵Australian Medical Association, ⁶Pharmacy Guild of New South Wales and ⁷National Heart Foundation of Australia.

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Original articleCotinine validation of self-reported smoking in commercially run community surveys

Abstract

Behav Ther

J Chron Dis

A comparison between carboxyhaemoglobin and serum thiocyanate determinations as indicators of cigarette smoking

Am J Public Health

Increasing the validity of self-reports of smoking behaviour in children

J Appl Psychol

Indirect measures of cigarette use: expired-air carbon monoxide versus plasma thiocyanate

Prev Med

Rapid gas-liquid Chromatographie determination of cotinine in biological fluids

Analyst

Plasma and urine changes after smoking different brands of cigarettes

Clin Pharmacol Ther

Quantification of cotinine in sera of smokers

Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol

Saliva thiocyanate: A chemical indicator of cigarette smoking in adolescents

Am J Public Health

Accuracy of information on smoking habits provided on self-administered research questionnaires

Am J Public Health

Original article
Cotinine validation of self-reported smoking in commercially run community surveys