Development of an indicator of smoking status for people with multiple sclerosis in administrative data

[摘要] Background: Administrative data lack health behavior information.Methods: We developed an administrative case definition for past or current (‘ever smoking’) in 1320individuals with MS from Manitoba, Canada. Candidate indicators for ‘ever smoked’ included smokingcessation medications, and diagnosis codes for tobacco use and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,using variable lookback periods.Results: When compared to self-reported smoking status, the case definition incorporating all indicatorsover a lifetime lookback period had a sensitivity of 31.98%, and positive predictive value of 78.26%.Conclusion: This smoking status definition could only partially control for confounding due to smokingbecause of the low sensitivity.

[关键词] Administrative data;smoking;multiple sclerosis