The Use of Multimode Data Collection in Random Digit Dialing Cell Phone Surveys for Young Adults: Feasibility Study

Background

Young adults’ early adoption of new cell phone technologies have created challenges to survey recruitment but offer opportunities to combine random digit dialing (RDD) sampling with web mode data collection. The National Young Adult Health Survey was designed to test the feasibility of this methodology.

Objective

In this study, we compared response rates across the telephone mode and web mode, assessed sample representativeness, examined design effects (DEFFs), and compared cigarette smoking prevalence to a gold standard national survey.

Methods

We conducted a survey experiment where the sampling frame was randomized to single-mode telephone interviews, telephone-to-web sequential mixed mode, and single-mode web survey. A total of 831 respondents aged 18 to 34 years were recruited via RDD at baseline. A soft launch was conducted prior to main launch. We compared the web mode to the telephone modes (ie, single-mode and mixed mode) at wave 1 based on the American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate 3 for screening and extended surveys. Base-weighted demographic distributions were compared to the American Community Survey. The sample was calibrated to the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey to calculate DEFFs and to compare cigarette smoking prevalence to the National Health Interview Survey. Prevalence estimates are estimated with sampling weights and are presented with unweighted sample sizes. Consistency of estimates was judged by 95% CI.

Results

The American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate 3 was higher in the telephone mode than in the web mode (24% and 30% vs 6.1% and 12.5%, for soft launch and main launch, respectively), which was reflected in response rate 3 for screening and extended surveys. During the soft launch, the extended survey and eligibility rate were low for respondents pushed to the web mode. To boost productivity and survey completes for the web condition, the main launch used cell phone numbers from the sampling frame where the sample vendor matched the number to auxiliary data, which suggested that the number likely belonged to an adult in the target age range. This increased the eligibility rate, but the screener response rate was lower. Compared to population distribution from the US Census Bureau, the telephone mode overrepresented men (57.1% [unweighted n=412] vs 50.9%) and those enrolled in college (40.3% [unweighted n=269] vs 23.8%); it also underrepresented those with a Bachelor of Arts or Science (34.4% [unweighted n=239] vs 55%). The web mode overrepresented White, non-Latinos (70.7% [unweighted n=90] vs 54.4%) and those with some college education (30.4% [unweighted n=40] vs 7.6%); it also underrepresented Latinos (13.6% [unweighted n=20] vs 20.7%) and those with a high school or General Education Development diploma (15.3% [unweighted n=20] vs 29.3%). The DEFF measure was 1.28 (subpopulation range 0.96-1.93). The National Young Adult Health Survey cigarette smoking prevalence was consistent with the National Health Interview Survey overall (15%, CI 12.4%-18% [unweighted 149/831] vs 13.5%, CI 12.3%-14.7% [unweighted 823/5552]), with notable deviation among 18- to 24-year-olds (15.6%, CI 11.3%-22.2% [unweighted 51/337] vs 8.7%, CI 7.1%-10.6% [unweighted 167/1647]), and those with education levels lower than Bachelor of Arts or Science (24%, CI 19.3%-29.4% [unweighted 123/524] vs 17.1%, CI 15.6%-18.7% [unweighted 690/3493]).

Conclusions

RDD sampling for a web survey is not feasible for young adults due to its low response rate. However, combining this methodology with RDD telephone surveys may have a great potential for including media and collecting autophotographic data in population surveys.

Infectious exposure, antibiotic use, and multiple sclerosis: A population-based incident case-control study

BACKGROUND

The existing reports regarding the potential role of infections as well as antibiotic use in multiple sclerosis (MS) etiology are inconclusive.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the association of viral infections as well as antibiotic use and the risk of developing MS.

MATERIALS & METHODS

This was a population-based incident case-control study of 547 incident cases and 1057 general population controls obtained from 22 municipality areas of Tehran (7/8/2013-17/2/2015). Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the adjusted associations.

RESULTS

Overall antibiotic use for ≥14 days during 3 years before the index date, significantly decreased the odds of MS OR 0.69 (95%CI: 0.53-0.91, P = .008). The results were consistent for different types of antibiotics, including penicillin OR 0.50 (95%CI: 0.34-0.75, P = .001) and cephalosporins OR 0.25 (95%CI: 0.12-0.50, P < .001). History of IM was associated with a more than 5fold increased risk of MS OR = 5.7 (95%CI, 1.28-25.37). There was no statistically significant association between any other single or cumulative number of viral infections with subsequent risk of MS (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the possibility of reverse causation, the results of this large case-control study suggest that use of antibiotics may be associated with a decreased risk of MS. However, viral disease other than infectious mononucleosis was not associated with MS risk.

An Experimental Study Using Opt-in Internet Panel Surveys for Behavioral Health Surveillance

Objective

To present the design and preliminary results of a pilot study to investigate the use of opt-in Internet panel surveys for behavioral health surveillance.

Introduction

Today, surveyors in both the private and public sectors are facing considerable challenges with random digit dialed (RDD) landline telephone samples. The population coverage rates for landline telephone surveys are being eroded by wireless-only households, portable telephone numbers, telecommunication barriers (e.g., call forwarding, call blocking and pager connections), technological barriers (call-blocking, busy circuits) and increased refusal rates and privacy concerns. Addressing these issues increasingly drives up the costs associated with dual-frame telephone surveys designed to be representative of the target population as well as hinders their ability to be fully representative of the adult population of each state and territory in the United States.

In an effort to continue to meet these challenges head on and assist state and territorial public health professionals in the continued collection of data that are representative of their respective populations, novel approaches to behavioral health surveillance need continued examination. Both private and public sector researchers are evaluating the use of Internet opt-in panels to augment dual-frame RDD survey methods. Compared to dual-frame RDD, opt-in Internet panels offer lower costs, quick data collection and dissemination, and the ability to gather additional data on panelists over time. However, as with dual-frame RDD, this mode has similar challenges with coverage error and non-response. Nevertheless, survey methodologists are moving forward and exploring ways to reduce or eliminate biases between the sample and the target population.

Methods

A collaborative pilot project was designed to assess the feasibility and accuracy of opt-in Internet panel surveys for behavioral health surveillance. This pilot project is a collaboration between the CDC, four state departments of health, opt-in Internet panel providers and the leads of several large surveys and systems such as the Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) and the Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES). Pilot projects were conducted in four states (GA, IL, NY, and TX) and four Metropolitan Statistical Areas (Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, and Houston). Data were collected using three different opt-in Internet panels and sampling methods that differ with respect to recruitment strategy, sample selection and sample matching to the adult population of each geography. A question bank consisting of 80 questions was developed to benchmark with other existing surveys used to assess various public health surveillance measures (e.g., the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the PROMIS, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and the CCES).

Results

We present comparative analyses that assess the advantages and disadvantages of different opt-in Internet panels sampling methodologies across a range of parameters including cost, geography, timeliness, usability, and ease of use for technology transfer to states and local communities. Recommendations for future efforts in behavioral health surveillance are given based on these results.

Racial and geographic differences in mammography screening in St. Louis City: a multilevel study

To examine racial differences in mammography use and its determinants in the City of St. Louis, MO, USA, we recruited women age 40 or older using random-digit dialing to (1) examine the difference in mammography use between white women and African American women and (2) identify individual- and census-tract-level risk factors of nonadherence to mammography. During telephone interviews, we inquired about mammography use and several demographic, psychosocial, and health behavior variables. We determined the residential census tracts of study subjects using a geographic information system. The rate of mammography use was 68.0% among white women and 74.7% among African American women (P = 0.022). African American women were more likely to have mammograms than white woman (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09-2.69). System-level barriers to mammography and heavy smoking were associated with lower mammography use among both white and African American women. Personal-experience barriers to mammography and no physician recommendation also were independently associated with mammography use among white women. White women residing within a historic geographic cluster area of late-stage breast cancer were less likely to have mammograms (adjusted OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.22-0.80), while African American women residing within a historic geographic cluster area of late-stage breast cancer were equally likely to have mammograms (adjusted OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.28-2.24). Neither individual- nor census-tract-level socioeconomic status was associated with mammography screening. These findings suggest that there may be a greater need for increasing mammography use among white women, especially in the historic cluster area of late-stage breast cancer in St. Louis.