Recall Bias can be a Threat to Retrospective and Prospective Research Designs

Abstract

Recall bias represents a major threat to the internal validity of studies using self-reported data. It arises with the tendency of subjects to report past events in a manner that is different between the two study groups. This pattern of recall errors can lead to differential misclassification of the related variable among study subjects with a subsequent distortion of measure of association in any direction from the null, depending on the magnitude and direction of the bias. Although recall bias has largely been viewed as a common concern in case-control studies, it also has been documented as an issue in some prospective cohort and randomized controlled trial designs. The aim of this paper is to address recall bias in selective studies employing retrospective and prospective designs and present some key methodological strategies to consider in analytic research using reported data in order to avoid or minimize recall bias.