Self-Rated Health Assessed by Web Versus Mail Modes in a Mixed Mode Survey

Shim, Jae-Mahn; Shin, Eun-Jung; Johnson, Timothy P.

doi:10.1097/mlr.0b013e31829a4f92

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…We confirmed the so-called “digital divide” [ 47 - 50 ]—male adolescents and younger fathers preferred the online mode, a well-known systematic difference [ 5 ] between these modes[ 10 , 49 , 51 - 54 ]. Additionally, SAQ-Web respondents had higher household incomes [ 15 , 49 , 55 ] and higher household education levels [ 10 , 49 , 54 - 57 ]. Despite these differences, and differences in online response rates between the mixed-mode survey designs, there were no statistically significant differences in sample composition between the paper-and-pencil single-mode control group and the 3 mixed-mode groups.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Mode Equivalence of Health Indicators Between Data Collection Modes and Mixed-Mode Survey Designs in Population-Based Health Interview Surveys for Children and Adolescents: Methodological Study

Mauz¹,

Hoffmann²,

Houben³

et al. 2018

J Med Internet Res

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BackgroundThe implementation of an Internet option in an existing public health interview survey using a mixed-mode design is attractive because of lower costs and faster data availability. Additionally, mixed-mode surveys can increase response rates and improve sample composition. However, mixed-mode designs can increase the risk of measurement error (mode effects).ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine whether the prevalence rates or mean values of self- and parent-reported health indicators for children and adolescents aged 0-17 years differ between self-administered paper-based questionnaires (SAQ-paper) and self-administered Web-based questionnaires (SAQ-Web), as well as between a single-mode control group and different mixed-mode groups.MethodsData were collected for a methodological pilot of the third wave of the "German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents". Questionnaires were completed by parents or adolescents. A population-based sample of 11,140 children and adolescents aged 0-17 years was randomly allocated to 4 survey designs—a single-mode control group with paper-and-pencil questionnaires only (n=970 parents, n=343 adolescents)—and 3 mixed-mode designs, all of which offered Web-based questionnaire options. In the concurrent mixed-mode design, both questionnaires were offered at the same time (n=946 parents, n=290 adolescents); in the sequential mixed-mode design, the SAQ-Web was sent first, followed by the paper questionnaire along with a reminder (n=854 parents, n=269 adolescents); and in the preselect mixed-mode design, both options were offered and the respondents were asked to request the desired type of questionnaire (n=698 parents, n=292 adolescents). In total, 3468 questionnaires of parents of children aged 0-17 years (SAQ-Web: n=708; SAQ-paper: n=2760) and 1194 questionnaires of adolescents aged 11-17 years (SAQ-Web: n=299; SAQ-paper: n=895) were analyzed. Sociodemographic characteristics and a broad range of health indicators for children and adolescents were compared by survey design and data collection mode by calculating predictive margins from regression models.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics or health indicators between the single-mode control group and any of the mixed-mode survey designs. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics between SAQ-Web and SAQ-paper were found. Web respondents were more likely to be male, have higher levels of education, and higher household income compared with paper respondents. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, only one of the 38 analyzed health indicators showed different prevalence rates between the data collection modes, with a higher prevalence rate for lifetime alcohol consumption among the online-responding adolescents (P<.001).ConclusionsThese results suggest that mode bias is limited in health interview surveys for children and adolescents using a mixed-mode design with Web-based and paper questionnaires.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Mode Equivalence of Health Indicators Between Data Collection Modes and Mixed-Mode Survey Designs in Population-Based Health Interview Surveys for Children and Adolescents: Methodological Study

Mauz¹,

Hoffmann²,

Houben³

et al. 2018

J Med Internet Res

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“…These findings support previous research suggesting that self-reports on global health do not vary between the different kinds of self-administered modes [ 16 ]. However, Shim et al [ 46 ] found that web respondents report better self-rated health than SAQ-Paper respondents. Because of this inconsistency, further research on differences in reports on global health between paper-based and web-based questionnaires is required.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mode differences in a mixed-mode health interview survey among adults

et al. 2014

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BackgroundHealth interview surveys are important data sources for empirical research in public health. However, the diversity of methods applied, such as in the mode of data collection, make it difficult to compare results across surveys, time, or countries. The aim of this study was to explore whether the prevalence rates of health-related indicators amongst adults differ when self-administered paper mail questionnaires (SAQ-Paper), self-administered web surveys (SAQ-Web), and computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) are used for data collection in a health survey.MethodsData were obtained from a population-based mixed-mode health interview survey of adults in Germany carried out within the ‘German Health Update’ (GEDA) study. Data were collected either by SAQ-Paper (n = 746), SAQ-Web (n = 414), or CATI (n = 411). Predictive margins from logistic regression models were used to estimate the prevalence rates of chronic conditions, subjective health, mental health, psychosocial factors, and health behaviours, adjusted for the socio-demographic characteristics of each mode group.ResultsSocio-demographic characteristics were found to differ significantly between study participants who responded by SAQ-Paper, SAQ-Web, and CATI. Crude prevalence rates for health-related indicators also showed significant variation across all three survey modes. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors though, significant differences in prevalence rates between the two self-administered modes (SAQ-Paper and SAQ-Web) were found in only 2 out of the 19 health-related indicators studied. The differences between CATI and the two self-administered modes remained significant however, especially for indicators of mental and psychosocial health and self-reported sporting activity.ConclusionsThe findings of this study indicate that prevalence rates obtained from health interview surveys can vary with the mode of data collection, primarily between interviewer and self-administered modes. Hence, the type of survey mode used should be considered when comparing results from different health surveys. Mixing self-administered modes, such as paper-based questionnaires and web surveys, may be a combination to minimize mode differences in mixed-mode health interview surveys.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2049-3258-72-46) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…One notable exception is a recent experiment using the Pew Research Center's American Trends Panel, showing that respondents interviewed over the phone were more likely to report "excellent" (and less likely to report "very good" or "good") health compared to web respondents (Pew Research Center 2015). In addition, in the Gallup Panel 2008 Health Survey, web respondents had better SRH than mail respondents (after controlling for relevant covariates associated with Internet access) (Shim, Shin, and Johnson 2013). Further research is needed that compares the distribution of SRH and its association with covariates across other modes and across survey measurement features within a mode (e.g., horizontal or vertical presentation of response options in a self-administered mode [Garbarski, Schaeffer, and Dykema 2015b]), and that also incorporates respondents' characteristics such as cognitive ability and socioeconomic status.…”

Section: Features Of Survey Measurement Of Srhmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the General Social Survey uses a version with "excellent, good, fair, or poor," and the Gallup Panel qualifies "fair" with "only" (Shim, Shin, and Johnson 2013); many other surveys also include "very good" between "good" and "excellent." Including more response options may make sense in order to capture finer gradations in health, particularly positive options such as "very good" to obtain more discrimination in populations that are healthier or that view health optimistically, but this claim warrants empirical investigation (Smith 2005).…”

Section: Features Of Survey Measurement Of Srhmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research in and Prospects for the Measurement of Health Using Self-Rated Health

Garbarski¹

2016

PUBOPQ

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Self-rated health (SRH)-for example, "in general would you say your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?"-is the most widely used measure of health across a range of survey research studies. This paper synthesizes extant research and provides a framework for future research on the measurement of health using SRH, focusing on four interrelated topics: the factors that influence respondents' health ratings, the survey measurement features of SRH, how SRH answers are analyzed, and the stated purpose of SRH as a proxy for more objective health or as a perception of health.Extant research on the health, psychological, and social factors influencing respondents' SRH answers is reviewed, as is research concerned with the survey measurement features of SRH that influence how respondents rate their health. The synthesis proposes a framework for future research that focuses on further explicating the factors that underlie respondents' SRH answers and improving features of SRH measurement and analysis in ways that are consistent with the various goals of the researchers who both collect and analyze the data.

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Self-Rated Health Assessed by Web Versus Mail Modes in a Mixed Mode Survey

Cited by 13 publications

References 28 publications

Mode Equivalence of Health Indicators Between Data Collection Modes and Mixed-Mode Survey Designs in Population-Based Health Interview Surveys for Children and Adolescents: Methodological Study

Mode Equivalence of Health Indicators Between Data Collection Modes and Mixed-Mode Survey Designs in Population-Based Health Interview Surveys for Children and Adolescents: Methodological Study

Mode differences in a mixed-mode health interview survey among adults

Research in and Prospects for the Measurement of Health Using Self-Rated Health

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