Random-digit-dialing (RDD) surveys are typically conducted using only the telephone survey mode of data collection. However, because RDD survey response rates have been declining over the past ten years it is important to examine alternatives to the single-mode approach. This paper describes a test of one multi-mode alternative conducted as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System...

BACKGROUND To address three methodological challenges when attempting to measure patients' experiences and views of a system of inter-related health services rather than a single service: the feasibility of a population survey for identifying system users, the optimal recall period for system use, and the mode of administration which is most feasible and representative in the context of routine...

This report describes the results of an evaluation of random-digit-dialed sampling and telephone data collection procedures for the collection of health interview data from households. The study design included the following components: a comparison of data obtained by personal interview using area probability sampling with that obtained by telephone interview using random-digit-dialed sampling...

BACKGROUND Web interviewing is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, because it has several advantages over telephone interviewing such as lower costs and shorter fieldwork periods. However, there are also concerns about data quality of web surveys. The aim of this study was to compare the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands web and telephone samples on demographic and smoking re...

OBJECTIVES Telephone survey data are widely used to describe population health, but some fear that people with disabilities cannot participate. We tested the hypothesis that a telephone survey would underrepresent adults with disabilities, and that the adults with disabilities who responded would report lower prevalences of sensory, mental, self-care, and multiple limitations than those observe...

BACKGROUND Prevalence estimates may be biased if the characteristics of respondents differ from those of non-respondents in surveys. In this study, we used a follow-up telephone interview of initial non-respondents to examine the differences--in terms of self-rated health and health behaviours--to initial postal respondents and to assess improvements in prevalence estimates. METHODS Following...