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PubMed2026

Harnessing survey data across multiple demographic groups in Illinois to assess survey questions and reveal insights about ticks and tick-borne disease risk: a meta-comparison study.

BACKGROUND: Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are major public and veterinary health issues, existing at the intersection of behavioral, environmental, ecological, climatic, and entomological factors. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys have become an insightful tool to yield information regarding the behavioral factors that can predispose individuals to TTBDs. Here we present a unique meta-comparison study of six KAP surveys on TTBDs conducted in Illinois among various demographics: farmers, Extension workers, general public, veterinary, human medicine, and public health professionals. Our goals were multi-fold: (a) to develop an approach to compare KAP surveys used across several stakeholders on a subject of public health concern (i.e., TTBD risk), (b) to analyze the usefulness of questions for revealing information on TTBDs across varied demographic groups in Illinois, and (c) to reveal qualitative insights from the open text survey responses across these surveyed groups. METHODS: We conducted comparative and item response theory (IRT) analysis of all the surveyed questions, which yielded a final set of 39 questions on knowledge and practices, most of them with discriminatory power. Independent textual analysis of the survey responses led to the development of eight separate sub-categories across three main super categories: ticks and tick-borne disease (TBD) risk, TBD treatment and management, and TBD prevention. RESULTS: This study not only introduces a novel approach for comparing multiple KAP surveys on the topic of TTBDs, but also highlights gaps regarding TTBD knowledge, perceptions, and prevention measures among a variety of stakeholders and calls for tailored training and awareness campaigns to reduce the burden of TBDs in the Midwestern US. This meta-comparison approach unveils additional insights from the combined analyses of the KAP surveys. We also discuss perspectives of the surveyed demographics, their experiences with TTBDs, and provide recommendations for future public health efforts. CONCLUSION: These results can guide public health campaigns around TBDs in the United States and help reduce the increasing burden of TBDs on humans and animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Analyzing surveys on deaf adults: implications for survey research on persons with disabilities.

Differences in operationalizing definitions of disability, variations in methods of data collection and diversities in salient characteristics of disabled persons are generic problems in conducting social research surveys with persons who have disabilities. These problems are of concern not only to social scientists seeking to improve survey methods, but they also have practical significance to decision makers needing high quality information to guide social policies that influence the provision of health care, education and social services to persons with chronic impairments. Reports of 41 surveys on deaf adults in the United States and Canada conducted between 1959 and 1981 were analyzed to determine how rates of response, a key indicator of reliability of survey data, are affected by three methods of data collection, degree of verification efforts, scope of the sample and socio-demographic characteristics of those in the survey populations. Measurable results are provided so that planners of future surveys can correct for anticipated rates of sample attrition under various survey conditions. Other data indicate that trade-offs can be made between changes in the size of the sample and method of data collection to lead to more effective surveys. Important terms such as deafness, deaf population and deaf community are discussed as these relate to interpreting the results of survey studies on deaf adults. Discussion is also given to conducting social surveys with groups of individuals having other disabilities besides loss of hearing.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Cross-sectional household surveys of diarrhoeal diseases--a comparison of data from the Control of Diarrhoeal Diseases and Demographic and Health Surveys programmes.

Cross-sectional household surveys are extensively used for data collection, priority setting and programme evaluation in developing countries. They are now being promoted to assess a number of health care interventions such as Control of Diarrhoeal Diseases (CDD), Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), AIDS control and child survival programmes. Few field studies of the validity and precision of data generated from these surveys have been carried out, in part because such work is rather demanding of resources. The purpose of this study was to draw conclusions on validity and reliability of data from household surveys through a comparison of results from large-scale surveys on diarrhoea conducted by CDD and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) programmes in developing countries. Diarrhoea prevalence and treatment were compared for nine surveys for which little time had passed in between the CDD and DHS survey. The variation in results between the surveys was in many instances too large to be explained only by a true variation in the variable studied. A literature review suggested that validity problems could be due to response and recall errors. The authors caution the use of frequent household surveys for programme impact evaluation. Their cost-effectiveness should be carefully assessed, especially when services' evaluations already have provided evidence that a programme has had a positive effect on the behaviour of health workers and target groups in the community. It is recommended that more research be carried out on how selection and training of surveyors can be improved to make the quality of household surveys in developing countries better.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribing patterns in general practice: comparison of a general practitioner-based survey and a pharmacy-based survey in France.

PURPOSE: In order to assess biases occurring in primary care prescription studies, we compared non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescribing patterns reported by general practitioners directly (GP-based survey) and from a pharmacy-based survey of general practitioner prescribing (pharmacy-based survey). METHODS: Volunteer GPs of the administrative area of Côte d'Or (France) returned a mailed questionnaire on NSAID prescribing patterns for consecutive patients seen during a 2-month period. In order to obtain a reference basis, pharmacies of the same administrative area provided all prescriptions that included NSAIDs during a 1-week period originating in general practice. RESULTS: The rate of participation was 25% for the GPs and 40% for the pharmacies. Participant GPs were representative of GPs of the area with regard to sex, year of graduation and practice area but pharmacies from rural areas were over-represented. The GP-based survey and the pharmacy-based survey provided respectively 770 and 1050 prescriptions. There were no differences between either survey in the type of NSAIDs prescribed and in the most frequently associated drugs. GPs who volunteered in the GP survey prescribed NSAIDs more frequently orally and at higher doses than GPs involved in the pharmacy-based survey. They also prescribed more gastroprotective drugs, especially in the elderly. None of these results could be explained by differences in patient characteristics and GP practice areas. CONCLUSION: GPs who actively participate in prescription surveys exhibit prescribing patterns that fit better with official recommendations than the average. Although selection biases cannot be ruled out, it is suggested that some changes in GP prescription habits may have been induced by the survey itself.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Experience of the first survey of the pilot project of Asian Quality Assurance Survey program.

The Asian Network for Clinical Laboratory Standardization (ANCLS) decided to start her First Inter-laboratory Quality Assurance survey at the business meeting during the Second Asian Colloquium on October 21-22, 2000 in Kobe, Japan. The first survey materials of Asian Quality Assurance Survey (AQuAS) were distributed in July 2001 to 21 hospitals in the field of chemistry and 22 hospitals in the field of hematology among total 24 participating laboratories from seven Asian countries: Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The survey methods in chemistry and in hematology were somewhat different. In chemistry the survey material was considered as unknown but handled similarly to the sample from the patient. Nineteen routine tests were performed only once. The hematology samples were considered as unknown but handled similarly to control or calibration material. Five parameters were tested five times repetitively and their average for each parameter was calculated. All the results were supposed to be sent back to the office within two weeks. Although it took more than two weeks, the return rate was 100%. The analysis was performed in several ways such as all the results together, by instruments and by methods. Mean, standard deviation (SD), standard deviation index (SDI), coefficient of variation (CV) and variance index score (VIS) were to be calculated in chemistry, and in hematology the same parameter were to be calculated except CV and VIS. In the first survey, the CV in chemistry was not calculated and the analysis by instrument or by methodology was also not attempted since there were not enough participating hospitals to do such analysis. In hematology the analysis was done by instrument only. The survey process was carried out successfully though there were some difficulties in communication tools, transportation methods and handling of specimens due to different weather conditions, and returning the report in the correct unit and to the correct place. The submitted data were acceptable for analysis. There were some differences in the units of measurement in different countries or laboratories. It was necessary to convert some of the units. Some laboratories apparently do not perform certain tests such as calcium, potasium and gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT). The gamma-GT is the most frequently not performed test. With the experience of this first survey, all the members involved in the survey have been trained well to do future surveys.

Asia↗
PubMed2003

Evaluation of Health Interview Surveys and Health Examination Surveys in the European Union.

BACKGROUND: The project 'Health surveys in the EU: HIS and HIS/HES evaluations and models' aims to assess the coverage of specific health and health-related areas in national and international surveys by reviewing and evaluating surveys, their methods and comparability, and by recommending appropriate survey designs and methods. METHODS: As basis for the evaluation, the project developed a health survey database. At present, Health Interview Surveys (HIS) and Health Examination Surveys (HES) from 18 Western European countries as well as from Canada, Australia and the USA are included. RESULTS: National HISs have been carried out regularly in almost all Western European countries. The HIS may consist of short health sections or modules within multi-purpose surveys or lengthy health interviews with several questionnaires. National HESs with a comprehensive focus have been conducted at regular or irregular intervals in five countries. The HES may comprise an interview and a few measurements or a comprehensive health examination. Sampling frames, fieldwork, quality control procedures and response rates vary greatly. Differences between measurement instruments used, in the wording of questions and in examination protocols reduce the comparability of many findings. CONCLUSION: The Internet based HIS/HES database allows for a quick reference and comparison of methods and instruments used in national health surveys. It illustrates the need for improving comparability. Collaboration and co-ordination is needed to promote comprehensive health monitoring supporting the development of national and European-level health policy.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed2003

[Japanese national survey of adolescent drinking behavior: comparison between 1996 and 2000 surveys].

This report shows Japanese adolescent drinking behavior from the national surveys conducted in 1996 and 2000. We randomly selected 120 junior high schools and 100 senior high schools nationwide. We requested the cooperation of the principals of these schools and sent questionnaires to each school. Students answered anonymously the questionnaires during school time, and sealed in envelopes by themselves; then teachers collected the envelopes. The questionnaire focused on adolescent drinking behavior. Valid responses numbered 42,798 (1996) and 47,246 (2000) from the junior high schools and 73,016 (1996) and 59,051 (2000) from the senior high schools. The number of students surveyed represented about 1% of all Japanese junior high school students, and about 2% of all senior high school students. This report covers only students who gave answers on both drinking frequency and drinking quantity. It compares adolescent drinking behavior between the 1996 and 2000 surveys, such as drinking frequency, drinking quantities, drinking occasions, methods of obtaining alcohol, kinds of alcohol drunk, alcohol-related problems, opinions on the law that prohibits minors under 20 years of age from drinking alcohol, and distribution of drinking status of the subjects by the Quantity-Frequency Scale (QF scale). In a comparison of adolescent drinking behavior between the 1996 survey and 2000 survey, non-drinkers among junior high school students increased from 45% to 55%, and those among senior high school students increased from 27% to 33%. On the other hand, ratios of female students in both junior and senior high schools who drank 1 or more times per week were higher in the 2000 survey than in the 1996 survey. Comparison of the 1996 survey and 2000 survey did not indicate that Japanese adolescent drinking has increased or decreased.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

An innovative, effective and cost effective survey method using a survey-check response format.

Maximizing the response rate to surveys involves thoughtful choices about survey design, sampling and collection methods. This paper describes an innovative survey method, to provide immediate reinforcement for responding and to minimize the response cost. This method involves using a questionnaire printed as checks on security (anti-fraud) paper with questions and responses separated using a perforated tear off section. Once a participant completes the survey, the response area is detached from the questions, thus protecting the confidentiality of the subject, and the check is returned via the banking system. This report describes the survey-check methodology, the survey flow process, and the results from four research studies which have used this method. These studies include (1) a technology accessibility survey of parents with children enrolled in a low-income preschool program; (2) a parent report of their child's behavior used as screening criteria for inclusion in a computer-mediated parent education project; (3) a follow-up questionnaire as part of a longitudinal study of child behavior, covering home and classroom interventions, and service utilization, and; (4) a survey of dentists in support of efforts to recruit them to participate in a randomized control trial of tobacco cessation in dental offices. The results of using this method show great improvement in response rates over traditionally administered surveys for three of the four reported studies. Results are discussed in terms of future applications of this method, limitations, and potential cost savings.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1999

Making survey results easy to report to consumers: how reporting needs guided survey design in CAHPS. Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study.

OBJECTIVES: CAHPS is designed to report information about health care quality from the consumer perspective. Enrollees are surveyed about their experiences with their health plan and medical care, and results are reported to other consumers choosing among health plans. Based on survey instruments designed to elicit reliable and valid information about health plan experiences from plan enrollees, the aim of the CAHPS team was to design a series of reporting products that present survey results so that consumers find the information understandable, meaningful, and useful in choosing among health plans. METHODS: Design of the survey instruments and reporting products were closely linked. The approach to reporting was based on previous research on consumers' information interests and needs in evaluating and choosing among plans. Cognitive tests were conducted with consumers to get their reactions to mock-ups of various approaches to reporting CAHPS survey results. RESULTS: Findings from previous research and cognitive testing, together with feedback from various experts and the public, were used to modify the survey questions, response options, and reporting formats to make it easier for consumers to understand and use reports. Changes included dropping topics of less interest to consumers, changing question wordings that were hard to understand, minimizing the number of different response categories, and revising questions to make them easier to group together for purposes of reporting. CONCLUSIONS: The CAHPS focus on reporting results to consumers presented an unusual challenge for survey design, requiring close coordination between instrument design and report development to produce a survey and reporting kit that serves consumers' information needs.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

'So much post, so busy with practice--so, no time!': a telephone survey of general practitioners' reasons for not participating in postal questionnaire surveys.

BACKGROUND: Response rates by general practitioners (GPs) to postal surveys have consistently fallen, compromising the validity of this type of research. If postal survey work is to continue we need to understand GPs' reasons for not participating and respond appropriately. AIM: To investigate GPs' reasons for not responding to postal surveys. METHOD: A qualitative study was carried out to determine GPs reasons for not participating in postal surveys, which were drawn from a telephone survey of 276 non-responders to a postal questionnaire survey. Practitioners' comments were recorded and reasons for their non-response quantified using content analysis. RESULTS: Primary reasons for GPs not replying to the postal survey were that questionnaires had got lost in paperwork (34%), that GPs were too busy for the extra work involved (21%), and that questionnaires were routinely 'binned' (16%). Higher practice workloads, including increased administration, meant that participation in research had become a low priority. GPs provided some suggestions for researchers that would increase their chances of questionnaires being returned. CONCLUSIONS: Researchers need to be aware of the pressures of service general practice and to rationalize the amount of research material sent to GPs. GPs were most likely to respond to postal surveys that had a high interest factor, that involved localized research relevant to general practice, and that incorporated a personalized approach by researchers, including good-quality explanatory information.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2003

A comparison between the National Food Survey and the Family Expenditure Survey food expenditure data.

OBJECTIVE: Household budget surveys (HBSs) have been used to assess nutritional information for epidemiological purposes. The agreement between this information and other comparable data needs to be examined. The aim of this project was to compare household food expenditure data between two British HBSs: the National Food Survey (NFS) and the Family Expenditure Survey (FES). DESIGN: Household food expenditure data were compared between the NFS and the FES for the years from 1982 to 1993. Differences in expenditure were assessed by year, by household composition, by income group and by region; for trends across time for all households and for regional, household composition and income group variations. SETTING: Great Britain. SUBJECTS: Approximately 88 000 NFS households and 85 000 FES households surveyed between 1982 and 1993 were used in this analysis. RESULTS: Marked differences between the food expenditure data provided by the two surveys were observed. Furthermore, differences in time trends were substantial, which can lead to different conclusions regarding changes in consumption patterns. CONCLUSIONS: There is no obvious reason for the differences in household food expenditure between the NFS and the FES. Methodological differences between the two surveys cannot provide a full explanation for these discrepancies. The NFS and FES are now merged into a single survey (the Expenditure and Food Survey). If HBSs are to be used for epidemiological purposes their validity needs to be established.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Surveying physicians: do components of the "Total Design Approach" to optimizing survey response rates apply to physicians?

BACKGROUND: Surveys serve essential roles in clinical epidemiology and health services research. However, physician surveys frequently encounter problems achieving adequate response rates. Research on enhancing response rates to surveys of the general public has led to the development of Dillman's "Total Design Approach" to the design and conduct of surveys. The impact of this approach on response rates among physicians is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which the components of the total design approach have been found to be effective in physician surveys. DESIGN: A systematic review. RESULTS: The effectiveness of prepaid financial incentives, special contacts, and personalization to enhance response rates in surveys of physicians have been confirmed by the existing research. There is suggestive evidence supporting the use of first class stamps on return envelopes and multiple contacts. The optimum amount for incentives and the number of contacts necessary have not been established. Details of questionnaire design and their impact on response rates have received almost no attention from researchers. Few studies have assessed the usefulness of combinations of components of the total design approach. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the number of surveys conducted among physicians, their cost, the level of interest in their findings, and in spite of inadequate response rates, there have been few randomized trials conducted on important aspects of enhancing response in this population. Until this gap has been filled, researchers conducting surveys of physicians should consider including all components of the total design approach whenever feasible.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2006

Reliability of the nursing home survey process: a simultaneous survey approach.

PURPOSE: We designed this study to examine the reliability of the nursing home survey process in the state of Kansas using regular and simultaneous survey teams. In particular, the study examined how two survey teams exposed to the same information at the same time differed in their interpretations. DESIGN AND METHODS: The protocol for simultaneous surveys consists of having one in-region and one out-of-region team survey a facility together. RESULTS: The regular and simultaneous survey teams generally agreed about the number of deficiencies. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.87 for total deficiencies and 0.76 for deficiencies with scores of G or higher. But in a substantial number of instances the teams did not agree about the scope and severity of the deficiency or about what regulation the nursing home had breached. IMPLICATIONS: The survey process is reliable when assessing aggregate results, but it is only moderately reliable when examining individual citations. Stakeholders (i.e., consumers, policy makers, nursing home administrators) should be aware of the limitations of the survey process. It needs to be modified to reduce variability.

Data Collection↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Michigan Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: results and utility relative to the National Survey.

Percentage distributions for variables in the Michigan Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (MAMCS), both for the Detroit Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) and the State as a whole, are compared with those from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). The MAMCS data are a subset of the NAMCS data, since the MAMCS was carried out by augmenting the NAMCS in Michigan. Differences in the impact of survey results for the three areas are examined in the context of planning and developing ambulatory health care services. A specific application of survey data is examined, namely, its use in planning the Health Care Institute of Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center. The survey results for the three areas are similar enough to warrant the use of data from the national survey in the planning and evaluation of health services locally, although special studies of a few items such as X-ray usage may be needed. To reestablish local credibility for national results, or to detect changes in patterns which may develop, another Statelevel survey is suggested at the time of a census. Based on the experience with the MAMCS, augmentation of the NAMCS or other national surveys would be used in other States.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗