A Comparison of Questionnaire and Physiological Data in Predicting Future Chronic Disease Risk Factor Status in an Employee Population

Abstract

Background. The ideal screening tool for worksite health screening programs has not yet been identified, and the effectiveness of screening programs in predicting future chronic disease risk factors status is not well understood. This study compared two commonly used screening tools, health-related questionnaires and measurement of physiological parameters, in terms of their ability to predict future chronic disease risk factor status in an employee population. Methods. Data were collected over a 10-year period from Liberty Corporation employees (N = 723). Baseline evaluation included the administration of questionnaires and measurement of physiological data. Follow-up evaluation measured physiological data only. Regression analyses identified the statistically significant predictors of future risk factor status using 1) baseline questionnaire data; 2) baseline physiological data; and 3) both questionnaire and physiological data as predictor variables. Results. Although both screening methods were able to predict future risk factor status, R2 values were higher in models including baseline physiological measures than models including questionnaire data only. Adding questionnaire data to physiological data provided little or no additional predictive ability. Discussion. These results suggest that physiological data, particularly baseline measures of a risk factor, are more predictive of future risk factor status than questionnaire data.