Improved field methods included in-home collection, temperature control, establishment of a central survey biomeasure laboratory, and shipping, all of which were crucial for successful collection by the field interviewers and accurate laboratory assay of the biomeasures (92.1% average co-operation rate and 97.3% average assay success rate). Developed for home interviews, these biomeasures are readily applicable to other surveys.

This article describes both innovation in the development and implementation of W2 as well as fidelity to W1 study design and data collection procedures.

Collection of HbA1C in Wave 2 permits researchers to examine the relationship between HbA1C and new health and social measures added in Wave 2, and to identify factors related to the change in HbA1C. Changes in collection protocol and labs between waves may have yielded small systematic differences that require analysts to carefully interpret absolute HbA1C values. We recommend analytic methods for cross wave differences in HbA1C and steps to ensure cross wave comparability in future studies.