Sensitivity of Self-reported Opium Use in Cancer Patients: Implications for conducting epidemiological studies
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Abstract
Background: Underreporting bias related to opium use is a significant methodological issue that can threaten the results of epidemiologic studies, particularly when opium use is the exposure of interest. In our current study, we aimed to measure the sensitivity of opium use. among cancer patients and identify the contributing factors Method: In a cross-sectional study, we examined the sensitivity of self-reported opium use among cancer cases. In this study, we avoided using urine tests as the gold standard to prevent false positive results, given that most cancer patients use opioids to alleviate their pain. Instead, we relied on their reports of use to anesthesiologists as the gold standard and compared it with their reports to interviewers to calculate sensitivity Results: The sensitivity of self-reported opium use among cancer patients was approximately 63.33% (95% CI: 43.86% – 80.07%). Interestingly, this sensitivity was significantly higher among cigarette users 88.24% (95% CI: 63.56% – 98.54%) compared to non-users 30.77% (95% CI: 9.09% – 61.43%). Additionally, the sensitivity of self-reported opium use was higher among alcohol users and participants with low socioeconomic status compared to their counterparts, although these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The observed sensitivity of self-reported opium use among cancer patients underscores the importance of meticulous and comprehensive approaches for collecting and interpreting self-reported substance use data. Researchers and policymakers should consider contributing factors to the sensitivity of self-reported opium use.
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5. Ashrafi S, Aminisani N, Soltani S, Sarbakhsh P, Shamshirgaran SM, Rashidi M-R. The validity of self-reported drug use with urine test: results from the pilot phase of Azar cohort study. Health promotion perspectives. 2018;8(3):225.
6. Rashidian H, Hadji M, Marzban M, Gholipour M, Rahimi-Movaghar A, Kamangar F, et al. Correction: Sensitivity of self-reported opioid use in case-control studies: Healthy individuals versus hospitalized patients. Plos one. 2018;13(2):e0192814.
7. Johansen C, Schüz J, Andreasen A-MS, Dalton SO. Study designs may influence results: the problems with questionnaire-based case–control studies on the epidemiology of glioma. British Journal of Cancer. 2017;116(7):841-8.
8. Wiffen PJ, Wee B, Derry S, Bell RF, Moore RA. Opioids for cancer pain‐an overview of Cochrane reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2017(7).
9. Larach DB, Hah JM, Brummett CM. Perioperative opioids, the opioid crisis, and the anesthesiologist. Anesthesiology. 2022;136(4):594-608.
10. Amin‐Esmaeili M, Rahimi‐Movaghar A, Sharifi V, Hajebi A, Radgoodarzi R, Mojtabai R, et al. Epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders in Iran: prevalence, correlates, comorbidity and service utilization results from the Iranian Mental Health Survey. Addiction. 2016;111(10):1836-47.
11. Lama A, Lama D. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: A REFLECTIVE DISCUSSION. Indian Journal of Health Social Work. 2022;4(2):3.
12. Brener ND, Billy JO, Grady WR. Assessment of factors affecting the validity of self-reported health-risk behavior among adolescents: evidence from the scientific literature. Journal of adolescent health. 2003;33(6):436-57.
13. Napper LE, Fisher DG, Johnson ME, Wood MM. The reliability and validity of drug users' self reports of amphetamine use among primarily heroin and cocaine users. Addictive behaviors. 2010;35(4):350-4.
14. Shakeri R, Kamangar F, Mohamadnejad M, Tabrizi R, Zamani F, Mohamadkhani A, et al. Opium use, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption in relation to pancreatic cancer. Medicine. 2016;95(28).
15. Pourshams A, Khademi H, Malekshah AF, Islami F, Nouraei M, Sadjadi AR, et al. Cohort profile: the Golestan Cohort Study—a prospective study of oesophageal cancer in northern Iran. International journal of epidemiology. 2010;39(1):52-9.
16. Clark CB, Zyambo CM, Li Y, Cropsey KL. The impact of non-concordant self-report of substance use in clinical trials research. Addictive behaviors. 2016;58:74-9.
17. Gans JE, Brindis CD. Choice of research setting in understanding adolescent health problems. Journal of Adolescent Health. 1995;17(5):306-13.
18. Gfroerer J, Wright D, Kopstein A. Prevalence of youth substance use: the impact of methodological differences between two national surveys. Drug and alcohol dependence. 1997;47(1):19-30.
2. Khalili P, Nadimi AE, Baradaran HR, Janani L, Rahimi-Movaghar A, Rajabi Z, et al. Validity of self-reported substance use: research setting versus primary health care setting. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy. 2021;16(1):1-13.
3. Berlan ED, Bravender T. Adolescent Medicine Today: A Guide to Caring for the Adolescent Patient: World Scientific; 2012.
4. Abnet CC, Saadatian-Elahi M, Pourshams A, Boffetta P, Feizzadeh A, Brennan P, et al. Reliability and validity of opiate use self-report in a population at high risk for esophageal cancer in Golestan, Iran. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. 2004;13(6):1068-70.
5. Ashrafi S, Aminisani N, Soltani S, Sarbakhsh P, Shamshirgaran SM, Rashidi M-R. The validity of self-reported drug use with urine test: results from the pilot phase of Azar cohort study. Health promotion perspectives. 2018;8(3):225.
6. Rashidian H, Hadji M, Marzban M, Gholipour M, Rahimi-Movaghar A, Kamangar F, et al. Correction: Sensitivity of self-reported opioid use in case-control studies: Healthy individuals versus hospitalized patients. Plos one. 2018;13(2):e0192814.
7. Johansen C, Schüz J, Andreasen A-MS, Dalton SO. Study designs may influence results: the problems with questionnaire-based case–control studies on the epidemiology of glioma. British Journal of Cancer. 2017;116(7):841-8.
8. Wiffen PJ, Wee B, Derry S, Bell RF, Moore RA. Opioids for cancer pain‐an overview of Cochrane reviews. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2017(7).
9. Larach DB, Hah JM, Brummett CM. Perioperative opioids, the opioid crisis, and the anesthesiologist. Anesthesiology. 2022;136(4):594-608.
10. Amin‐Esmaeili M, Rahimi‐Movaghar A, Sharifi V, Hajebi A, Radgoodarzi R, Mojtabai R, et al. Epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders in Iran: prevalence, correlates, comorbidity and service utilization results from the Iranian Mental Health Survey. Addiction. 2016;111(10):1836-47.
11. Lama A, Lama D. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: A REFLECTIVE DISCUSSION. Indian Journal of Health Social Work. 2022;4(2):3.
12. Brener ND, Billy JO, Grady WR. Assessment of factors affecting the validity of self-reported health-risk behavior among adolescents: evidence from the scientific literature. Journal of adolescent health. 2003;33(6):436-57.
13. Napper LE, Fisher DG, Johnson ME, Wood MM. The reliability and validity of drug users' self reports of amphetamine use among primarily heroin and cocaine users. Addictive behaviors. 2010;35(4):350-4.
14. Shakeri R, Kamangar F, Mohamadnejad M, Tabrizi R, Zamani F, Mohamadkhani A, et al. Opium use, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption in relation to pancreatic cancer. Medicine. 2016;95(28).
15. Pourshams A, Khademi H, Malekshah AF, Islami F, Nouraei M, Sadjadi AR, et al. Cohort profile: the Golestan Cohort Study—a prospective study of oesophageal cancer in northern Iran. International journal of epidemiology. 2010;39(1):52-9.
16. Clark CB, Zyambo CM, Li Y, Cropsey KL. The impact of non-concordant self-report of substance use in clinical trials research. Addictive behaviors. 2016;58:74-9.
17. Gans JE, Brindis CD. Choice of research setting in understanding adolescent health problems. Journal of Adolescent Health. 1995;17(5):306-13.
18. Gfroerer J, Wright D, Kopstein A. Prevalence of youth substance use: the impact of methodological differences between two national surveys. Drug and alcohol dependence. 1997;47(1):19-30.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 15 No 4 (2023) | |
| Section | Original Articles | |
| Keywords | ||
| Self-reported Sensitivity Opium Cancer | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Mohseni V, Hadji M, Khaki M, Nabavian O, Zendehdel K, Rashidian H. Sensitivity of Self-reported Opium Use in Cancer Patients: Implications for conducting epidemiological studies. Basic Clin Cancer Res. 2024;15(4):259-265.
