Proxy  reports  in  survey  research  are  widely  used  when  the  index  individual  is  unavailable or somehow incapacitated by age or disability.  Proxy reports are plagued by concerns about accuracy,  however,  and  self-reports  are  generally  preferred  when  objective  measurement  is not possible.  This paper uses the Young Lives Study of International Child Poverty to assess the validity and utility of adolescent self-reported health (SRH) and the conventional parent’s proxy report. Using multivariate regression models and the framework of convergent validity, the author finds evidence for the validity of both proxy and self-reports, although proxy reports appear to be slightly more robustly associated with available physical health information. Exploratory multiple imputation simulations suggest that researchers should request both proxy and self-reports in household surveys; having both substantially improves the imputation of one if it is missing or implausible.  Along with a moderate correlation between the two reports, these results suggest that proxy and self-reports of adolescent’s general health status are not inter-changeable and may complement one another.

Keywords:

Health; Self-reported health; Proxy-reported Health

Download An Exploration of Proxy- and Self-Reported Adolescent Health in Low-Resource Settings.