Random sample community-based health surveys: does the effort to reach participants matter?

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Conducting health surveys with community-based random samples are essential to capture an otherwise unreachable population, but these surveys can be biased if the effort to reach participants is insufficient. This study determines the desirable amount of effort to minimise such bias.

Design

A household-based health survey with random sampling and face-to-face interviews. Up to 11 visits, organised by canvassing rounds, were made to obtain an interview.

Setting

Single-family homes in an underserved and understudied population in North Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA.

Participants

Of a probabilistic sample of 2200 household addresses, 30 corresponded to empty lots, 74 were abandoned houses, 625 households declined to participate and 265 could not be re

SUBMITTER: Messiah A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4267081 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature