Estimates of teen substance use from 3 federally funded surveys were examined. Results from the NHSDA, a household survey, and the MTF and YRBS, both school-based surveys, were compared by genderand ethnic group. Trends in reported use from 1993-1997 were also analyzed. Many discrepancies exist among the results from the 3 surveys and are likely due to several factors, including different sample sizes and frames, policies regarding sample substitution, question wording, and data collection protocols. Discussion of these factors underscores the need for more research dedicated to methodology. Routinely investing a portion of survey budgets in studies of the methods that are used and how they affect comparability with other surveys would build a knowfedge base that would make comparisons of results easier and would inform design decisions to Increase comparability across surveys. DEFINING THE PROBLEM This paper examines the problem of comparing results from three different surveys, all funded by the federal government:Monitoring the Future (MTF), a survey of 8 th , lOth, and 12 lh grade students which has been carried out annually since 1975 by the University of Michigan.

No abstract

No abstract

This article describes a study evaluating the Consumer Assessment of Behavioral Health Survey (CABHS) and the Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP) surveys. The purpose of the study was to provide data that could be used to develop recommendations for an improved instrument. Subjects were 3,443 adults in six behavioral health plans. The surveys did not differ significantly in response rate or consumer burden. Both surveys reliably assessed access to treatment and aspects of appropriateness and quality. The CABHS survey reliably assessed features of the insurance plan; the MHSIP survey reliably assessed treatment outcome. Analyses of comparable items suggested which survey items had greater validity. Results are discussed in terms of consistency with earlier research using these and other consumer surveys. Implications and recommendations for survey development, quality improvement, and national policy initiatives to evaluate health plan performance are presented.