Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison
BackgroundPrevious studies have shown inconsistencies in the accuracy of self-reported work hours. However, accurate documentation of work hours is fundamental for the formation of labor policies. Strict work-hour policies decrease medical errors, improve patient safety, and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Sprog: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2021-12-01
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| Serier: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online adgang: | https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e26763 |
| _version_ | 1827858771386302464 |
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| author | Hsiao-Han Wang Yu-Hsuan Lin |
| author_facet | Hsiao-Han Wang Yu-Hsuan Lin |
| author_sort | Hsiao-Han Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundPrevious studies have shown inconsistencies in the accuracy of self-reported work hours. However, accurate documentation of work hours is fundamental for the formation of labor policies. Strict work-hour policies decrease medical errors, improve patient safety, and promote physicians’ well-being.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to estimate physicians’ recall bias of work hours with a mobile app, and to examine the association between the recall bias and physicians’ work hours.
MethodsWe quantified recall bias by calculating the differences between the app-recorded and self-reported work hours of the previous week and the penultimate week. We recruited 18 physicians to install the “Staff Hours” app, which automatically recorded GPS-defined work hours for 2 months, contributing 1068 person-days. We examined the association between work hours and two recall bias indicators: (1) the difference between self-reported and app-recorded work hours and (2) the percentage of days for which work hours were not precisely recalled during interviews.
ResultsApp-recorded work hours highly correlated with self-reported counterparts (r=0.86-0.88, P<.001). Self-reported work hours were consistently significantly lower than app-recorded hours by –8.97 (SD 8.60) hours and –6.48 (SD 8.29) hours for the previous week and the penultimate week, respectively (both P<.001). The difference for the previous week was significantly correlated with work hours in the previous week (r=–0.410, P=.01), whereas the correlation of the difference with the hours in the penultimate week was not significant (r=–0.119, P=.48). The percentage of hours not recalled (38.6%) was significantly higher for the penultimate week (38.6%) than for the first week (16.0%), and the former was significantly correlated with work hours of the penultimate week (r=0.489, P=.002)
ConclusionsOur study identified the existence of recall bias of work hours, the extent to which the recall was biased, and the influence of work hours on recall bias. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:59:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bcb680be543f40b6bc0e35db3d317bbc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:59:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-bcb680be543f40b6bc0e35db3d317bbc2023-08-28T20:04:49ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712021-12-012312e2676310.2196/26763Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data ComparisonHsiao-Han Wanghttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4611-1975Yu-Hsuan Linhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9393-3886 BackgroundPrevious studies have shown inconsistencies in the accuracy of self-reported work hours. However, accurate documentation of work hours is fundamental for the formation of labor policies. Strict work-hour policies decrease medical errors, improve patient safety, and promote physicians’ well-being. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to estimate physicians’ recall bias of work hours with a mobile app, and to examine the association between the recall bias and physicians’ work hours. MethodsWe quantified recall bias by calculating the differences between the app-recorded and self-reported work hours of the previous week and the penultimate week. We recruited 18 physicians to install the “Staff Hours” app, which automatically recorded GPS-defined work hours for 2 months, contributing 1068 person-days. We examined the association between work hours and two recall bias indicators: (1) the difference between self-reported and app-recorded work hours and (2) the percentage of days for which work hours were not precisely recalled during interviews. ResultsApp-recorded work hours highly correlated with self-reported counterparts (r=0.86-0.88, P<.001). Self-reported work hours were consistently significantly lower than app-recorded hours by –8.97 (SD 8.60) hours and –6.48 (SD 8.29) hours for the previous week and the penultimate week, respectively (both P<.001). The difference for the previous week was significantly correlated with work hours in the previous week (r=–0.410, P=.01), whereas the correlation of the difference with the hours in the penultimate week was not significant (r=–0.119, P=.48). The percentage of hours not recalled (38.6%) was significantly higher for the penultimate week (38.6%) than for the first week (16.0%), and the former was significantly correlated with work hours of the penultimate week (r=0.489, P=.002) ConclusionsOur study identified the existence of recall bias of work hours, the extent to which the recall was biased, and the influence of work hours on recall bias.https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e26763 |
| spellingShingle | Hsiao-Han Wang Yu-Hsuan Lin Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison |
| title_full | Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison |
| title_short | Assessing Physicians’ Recall Bias of Work Hours With a Mobile App: Interview and App-Recorded Data Comparison |
| title_sort | assessing physicians recall bias of work hours with a mobile app interview and app recorded data comparison |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2021/12/e26763 |
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