Cited by 506Cancer Risks and FactorsStatistical Methods in EpidemiologyMenopause: Health Impacts and Treatments

Recall of Early Menstrual History and Menarcheal Body Size: After 30 Years, How Well Do Women Remember?

Must, A.·2002·American Journal of Epidemiology

Abstract

The validity of recall of early menstrual characteristics is of interest because of their putative role in the etiology of breast cancer and other diseases. A retrospective follow-up of the Newton Girls Study (1965-1975) provided an opportunity to assess the accuracy and precision of recall of several early menstrual characteristics. In 1998-1999, 57 percent of the original 793 Newton Girls Study participants completed a mailed questionnaire to assess the accuracy of recall for age and body size at menarche, usual cycle length during the first 2 years, and age at regularity. Recalled and original age at menarche were highly correlated (r = 0.79, p < 0.001). The body mass index percentile at menarche was well correlated with recalled body size at menarche (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), but with some evidence of systematic bias. Overall, a woman's recall of menarcheal age and body size was better than recall of cycle length and occurrence of regularity. The failure to identify certain menstrual characteristics as exposures for subsequent disease may reflect limitations in the accuracy and precision of the recalled measures.

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Crossref · 10.1093/aje/155.7.672

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Authors
Must, A.
Affiliations
Tufts University (US)
Corresponding author
Must, A.
Venue
American Journal of Epidemiology
Published
2002-04-01
Volume
155
Issue
7
Pages
672-679
ISSN
0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2034939744
Cited by
506
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 19
FWCI
6.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK046200, DK46200.)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
Keywords
menarche, recall accuracy, age at menarche, menstrual cycle length, breast cancer etiology
MeSH terms
Adult, Age Factors, Body Height, Body Image, Body Weight, Female, Humans, Menarche, Menstruation, Mental Recall, Retrospective Studies, Bias, Body Mass Index, Linear Models, Statistics, Nonparametric

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