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Objective: We sought to understand the relative impact of fielding mode on response rate among public health alumni. Methods: As part of the 2021 Career Trends Survey of alumni from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, we designed a fielding mode experiment to ascertain whether a paper survey, a postcard with a custom survey link ("postcard push-to-web"), a mobile telephone call or text (mobile), or an email invitation would garner the highest response rates. Invitations were randomly assigned from available contact information. Results: Of 8531 alumni invited, 1671 alumni (19.6%) completed the survey. Among the initial fielding modes, the paper survey had the highest response rate (28%), followed by mobile (19%), email (10%), and postcard push-to-web (10%). More robust recent engagement with alumni relations, paper survey invitation or mode switch, and recent graduation were all significantly associated with a higher likelihood of response. Conclusions: Paper and mobile invitations had the highest response rates to our survey among public health alumni. Findings from this fielding mode experiment are relevant to schools and programs of public health seeking to capture similar information among their alumni, especially given current trends in investment in the public health workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) provides annual prevalence data on youth use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). However, trends may be complicated by COVID-related changes in survey mode (self-completed vs. telephone interview) across 2019-2021., Methods: Trends in past 30-day (P30D) ENDS use over PATH waves 5 (2019; 100 % self-completed), 5.5 (2020; 100 % telephone interview), and 6 (2021; 33.5 % self-completed, 66.5 % telephone interview) were examined among continuing youth, overall and within survey mode. Further analyses examined the nature of these changes by examining 1) potential response biases in social contexts of nicotine use, and 2) sources of ENDS over time., Results: Telephone interviewees were less likely to report ENDS use (4.6 % vs. 8.6 % for self-completers), and more likely to report social disapproval of nicotine use, suggesting a reporting bias in telephone interviews. Survey-mode-naïve analyses suggested a large decline in P30D ENDS use prevalence between 2019-20 (10.2-4.6 %) followed by an apparent uptick in 2021 (5.9 %); however, comparing like-to-like survey modes showed a more modest decline (10.2 % in 2019; 8.6 % in 2021; self-completed) with no change between 2020 and 2021 (4.6 % in both; telephone interviews). Analyses suggested that the mode effects were partly, but not wholly, related to social desirability effects., Discussion: Changes in PATH survey mode introduced artifacts into ENDS use prevalence, possibly due in part to social desirability bias suppressing reporting in telephone interviews, rather than a true uptick. It is essential to account for survey mode in PATH surveys., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Through PinneyAssociates, Inc., authors AS, MJH, and SS provide consulting services on tobacco harm reduction to Juul Labs, Inc. (JLI). The preparation of this manuscript was supported by JLI, and JLI commented on a near-final version of this manuscript. After the initial draft of this manuscript was submitted, AS also began individually consulting on e-cigarette behavior to the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) through ECLAT Srl, which received funding from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW; now Global Action to End Smoking (GA)); however, neither CoEHAR nor FSFW/GA had any role in this work., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This research examines whether the mere presence of asking about gender pronouns (e.g., she/her, he/him, they/them, and ze/zir) in a survey enhances participants' attitudes and satisfaction of answering the questions. A large sample (N = 1,511) of heterosexual, cisgender, and LGBTQIA+ participants across the United States (US) were surveyed an online "personality test" (as a deception), with the real purpose of examining whether asking a pronoun question enhanced their perceptions of the survey. Three demographic groups were included: (i) heterosexual–cisgender (n = 503), (ii) gay–cisgender (n = 509), and (iii) genderqueer (trans, non-conforming, other, n = 499). Half of each group were randomly given either a survey that included a gender pronoun question (test) or not (control), and then all rated their perceptions of the survey questions. For participants who identified as heterosexual or gay, no major differences were found between survey conditions. However, participants who identified as genderqueer experienced significant increases of satisfaction, comfort level, and perceived relevance of the questions when given a survey that asked their gender pronouns versus the survey that did not. These findings have implications for any surveys that ask about personal demographics, and suggest that any form of written communication should include clarity about gender pronouns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Survey-driven research is a reliable method for large-scale data collection. Investigators incorporating mixed-mode survey designs report benefits for survey research including greater engagement, improved survey access, and higher response rate. Mix-mode survey designs combine 2 or more modes for data collection including web, phone, face-to-face, and mail. Types of mixed-mode survey designs include simultaneous (ie, concurrent), sequential, delayed concurrent, and adaptive. This paper describes a research protocol using mixed-mode survey designs to explore health IT (HIT) maturity and care environments reported by administrators and nurse practitioners (NPs), respectively, in US nursing homes (NHs)., Objective: The aim of this study is to describe a research protocol using mixed-mode survey designs in research using 2 survey tools to explore HIT maturity and NP care environments in US NHs., Methods: We are conducting a national survey of 1400 NH administrators and NPs. Two data sets (ie, Care Compare and IQVIA) were used to identify eligible facilities at random. The protocol incorporates 2 surveys to explore how HIT maturity (survey 1 collected by administrators) impacts care environments where NPs work (survey 2 collected by NPs). Higher HIT maturity collected by administrators indicates greater IT capabilities, use, and integration in resident care, clinical support, and administrative activities. The NP care environment survey measures relationships, independent practice, resource availability, and visibility. The research team conducted 3 iterative focus groups, including 14 clinicians (NP and NH experts) and recruiters from 2 national survey teams experienced with these populations to achieve consensus on which mixed-mode designs to use. During focus groups we identified the pros and cons of using mixed-mode designs in these settings. We determined that 2 mixed-mode designs with regular follow-up calls (Delayed Concurrent Mode and Sequential Mode) is effective for recruiting NH administrators while a concurrent mixed-mode design is best to recruit NPs., Results: Participant recruitment for the project began in June 2023. As of April 22, 2024, a total of 98 HIT maturity surveys and 81 NP surveys have been returned. Recruitment of NH administrators and NPs is anticipated through July 2025. About 71% of the HIT maturity surveys have been submitted using the electronic link and 23% were submitted after a QR code was sent to the administrator. Approximately 95% of the NP surveys were returned with electronic survey links., Conclusions: Pros of mixed-mode designs for NH research identified by the team were that delayed concurrent, concurrent, and sequential mixed-mode methods of delivering surveys to potential participants save on recruitment time compared to single mode delivery methods. One disadvantage of single-mode strategies is decreased versatility and adaptability to different organizational capabilities (eg, access to email and firewalls), which could reduce response rates., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/56170., (©Gregory L Alexander, Lusine Poghosyan, Yihong Zhao, Mollie Hobensack, Sergey Kisselev, Allison A Norful, John McHugh, Keely Wise, M Brooke Schrimpf, Ann Kolanowski, Tamanna Bhatia, Sabrina Tasnova. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 29.08.2024.)

The objective of this study is to explore the influence of self-commitment on career crafting, examining the mediating role of career adaptability and the moderating effect of job autonomy within the context of career construction theory. This research aims to deepens our understanding of the key mechanisms that underpin successful career development, providing valuable insights for both individuals and organizations to enhance career success and adaptability. Utilizing a two-wave survey methodology, we collected data from 363 full-time employees across various industries in the United States. Hierarchical regression analysis and the PROCESS Macro were employed to test the proposed hypotheses. Our findings reveal that self-commitment significantly enhances career crafting through career adaptability. Additionally, job autonomy was found to influence both the direct relationship between self-commitment and career adaptability, and the indirect relationship between self-commitment and career crafting. This study highlights the pathways linking self-commitment to career crafting, underscoring the importance of career adaptability as a developmental tool facilitated by job autonomy. We recommend that individuals commit to their personal growth to enhance their career adaptability and actively shape their careers. Meanwhile, organizations should focus on promoting job autonomy to foster career development, benefiting both employees and the broader organizational ecosystem., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: Existing theoretical frameworks and empirical research support the applicability and usefulness of integrating mental skills throughout sport injury rehabilitation. Objective: To determine what, if any, mental skills athletes use during injury rehabilitation, and by who these skills were taught. Cross-cultural differences were also examined. Design: Cross-sectional design. Setting: College athletes from 5 universities in the United States and a mixture of collegiate, professional, and recreational club athletes from the United Kingdom and Finland were recruited for this study. Participants: A total of 1283 athletes from the United States, United Kingdom, and Finland, who participated in diverse sports at varying competitive levels took part in this study. Main Outcome Measures: As part of a larger study on athletes' expectations of injury rehabilitation, participants were asked a series of open-ended and closed-ended questions concerning their use of mental skills during injury rehabilitation. Results: Over half (64.0%) of the sample reported previous experience with athletic training, while 27.0% indicated that they used mental skills during injury rehabilitation. The top 3 mental skills reported were goal setting, positive self-talk/positive thoughts, and imagery. Of those athletes that used mental skills, 71.6% indicated that they felt mental skills helped them to rehabilitate faster. A greater proportion of athletes from the United States (33.4%) reported that they used mental skills during rehabilitation compared with athletes from the United Kingdom (23.4%) and Finland (20.3%). A small portion (27.6%) of the participants indicated that their sports medicine professional had taught them how to use mental skills; only 3% were taught mental skills by a sport psychologist. Conclusions: The low number of athletes who reported using mental skills during rehabilitation is discouraging, but not surprising given research findings that mental skills are underutilized by injured athletes in the 3 countries examined. More effort should be focused on educating and training athletes, coaches, and sports medicine professionals on the effectiveness of mental training in the injury rehabilitation context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surveys are a key tool for understanding political behavior, but they are subject to biases that render their estimates about the frequency of socially desirable behaviors inaccurate. For decades the American National Election Study (ANES) has overestimated voter turnout, though the causes of this persistent bias are poorly understood. The face-to-face component of the 2012 ANES produced a turnout estimate at least 13 points higher than the benchmark voting-eligible population turnout rate. We consider three explanations for this overestimate in the survey: nonresponse bias, over-reporting and the possibility that the ANES constitutes an inadvertent mobilization treatment. Analysis of turnout data supplied by voter file vendors allows the three phenomena to be measured for the first time in a single survey. We find that over-reporting is the largest contributor, responsible for six percentage points of the turnout overestimate, while nonresponse bias and mobilization account for an additional 4 and 3 percentage points, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study: This study examines the effect of survey context on self-reported rates of personal fraud victimization, and explores if the effect is influenced by age and gender. Design and Methods: Participants (3,000 U.S. adults) were randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 versions of a fraud victimization questionnaire: questions about fraud were identical across conditions, however, the context varies. One questionnaire asked about crime, one about consumer buying experiences, and a third focused only on fraud. Results: Participants who were asked about fraud victimization in the context of crime reported significantly less victimization (p < .05) than those in the fraud-alone condition, yet the number of reports from those asked within the context of a consumer survey did not differ from the fraud-alone condition. The effect of the crime context interacted with age (p < .05), such that there was no effect of survey context for the middle age group (35-64), and a strong effect for younger (25-34) and older (65 plus) adults. The combined effect of being female and older was associated with the greatest effect of crime context on self-reported fraud victimization. Implications: These findings inform the production of new surveys and guide the development of effective social and health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concerns about using Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) in national surveys come up frequently in geriatric and rehabilitation medicine due to high rates of non-performance for reasons other than health. We aim to evaluate the effect of different strategies of classifying "does not do" responses to IADL questions when estimating prevalence of IADL limitations in a national survey.Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of 13,879 non-institutionalized adult Medicare beneficiaries included in the 2010 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). Sample persons or proxies were asked about difficulties performing six IADLs. Tested strategies to classify non-performance of IADL(s) for reasons other than health were to 1) derive through multiple imputation, 2) exclude (for incomplete data), 3) classify as "no difficulty," or 4) classify as "difficulty." IADL stage prevalence estimates were compared across these four strategies.Results: In the sample, 1853 sample persons (12.4 % weighted) did not do one or more IADLs for reasons other than physical problems or health. Yet, IADL stage prevalence estimates differed little across the four alternative strategies. Classification as "no difficulty" led to slightly lower, while classification as "difficulty" raised the estimated population prevalence of disability.Conclusions: These analyses encourage clinicians, researchers, and policy end-users of IADL survey data to be cognizant of possible small differences that can result from alternative ways of handling unrated IADL information. At the population-level, the resulting differences appear trivial when applying MCBS data, providing reassurance that IADL items can be used to estimate the prevalence of activity limitation despite high rates of non-performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2004 through 2016, three studies in the national Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) project asked participants the open-ended question "What do you do to make life go well?". We use verbatim responses to this question to evaluate the relative importance of psychological traits and circumstances for predicting self-reported, subjective well-being. The use of an open-ended question allows us to test the hypothesis that psychological traits are more strongly associated with self-reported well-being than objective circumstances because psychological traits and well-being are similarly self-rated-meaning that they both ask respondents to decide how to place themselves on provided and unfamiliar survey scales. For this, we use automated zero-shot classification to score statements about well-being without training on existing survey measures, and we evaluate this scoring through subsequent hand-labeling. We then assess associations of this measure and closed-ended measures for health behaviors, socioeconomic circumstances, biomarkers for inflammation and glycemic control, and mortality risk over follow-up. Although the closed-ended measures were far more strongly associated with other multiple-choice self-ratings, including Big 5 personality traits, the closed- and open-ended measures were similarly associated with relatively objective indicators of health, wealth, and social connectedness. The findings suggest that psychological traits, when collected through self-ratings, predict subjective reports of well-being so strongly because of a measurement advantage-and that circumstance matters just as much when assessed using a fairer comparison.

This paper examines what is known about error in the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE). It reviews likely sources of error in consumer expenditure surveys and describes the various approaches that have been used to evaluate estimates from the CE in the United States and from similar surveys around the world. In the United States, many efforts to assess the quality of the CE have compared CE estimates to estimates from other surveys or from the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA). In addition, other studies have used data internal to the CE in an attempt to assess the level of error. We review studies that take each of these approaches and assess their strengths and weaknesses. Our review shows that, as with other national and international surveys on household spending, the direction and magnitude of measurement errors in the CE are not well understood. The general impression that the CE expenditure estimates are dominated by underreporting is based largely on comparisons of the CE with NIPA estimates. However, other results suggest that the magnitude and direction of errors in the CE depend on the expenditure category examined, characteristics of the respondent and the survey protocol, and the method used to assess these errors. New research clearly is needed to understand the sources of error in surveys collecting consumer expenditure data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies new opportunities for innovation and expansion on current survey practice in the design of a new household panel survey, including an increased use of new and mobile technologies, more frequent data collection, modified clustering, and use of non-traditional survey measures such as administrative data, planned missing/matrix sampling questionnaire design, real-time data collection, and biomarkers. These innovative data collection methods require rethinking traditional panel survey methods, but can help reduce respondent burden and expand on current social science knowledge. The paper concludes that a new household panel survey would improve knowledge about important social, economic and health issues facing the US, and would provide a useful test bed for new hypotheses and innovative methods of data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) conducted a National Lakes Assessment (NLA) in the conterminous USA in 2007 as part of a national assessment of aquatic resources. The EPA used the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) as the basis for the sample frame for the NLA. The target population was all lakes .4 ha, excluding the Laurentian Great Lakes and the Great Salt Lake. An unequal probability survey design was used to select 4472 candidate lakes for potential sampling. The unequal selection depended on 5 lake area classes and 9 aggregatedOmernik level III ecoregions. In all, 2034 candidate lakes were evaluated for inclusion in the target population, and 1309 lakes (representing ,68,000 lakes in the sample frame) met the criteria. A total of 1028 lakes (of 1309) were sampled and represented ,50,000 lakes. The remaining lakes (231, representing ,18,000 lakes) could not be sampled because of access denial or physical inaccessibility. The target population included natural (41 6 2% [SE]) and man-made lakes (59 6 2%). All target lakes in the Southern Appalachian region and .90% of the target population in the Southern Plains and Xeric regions were man-made. In the Upper Midwest region, 9761%of the target population were natural lakes. Small lakes (4-10 ha) made up 47 6 2% of the target population, and lakes .50 ha made up ,15% of the target population. The results raise 2 issues that have implications for current and future NLA projects: 1) the cost and effort required to identify lake features in the sample frame that do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the target population (,50% in NLA 2007), and 2) the potential for biased estimates of the size and condition of the target population caused by lakes that cannot be sampled. Future NLA efforts involve refining the survey design to include smaller lakes and resampling lakes from previous NLAs. We offer approaches for addressing both issues, including use of a high-resolution version ofNHD as the basis for developing the NLA sample frame. Developing a master sample frame of lakes would provide a consistent basis of lake numbers (or surface area) from which to estimate extent or assess ecological condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The analysis presented in this paper examines the multi-year capacity of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). Methods: We systematically reviewed the literature for methodological approaches in research using multiple years of the MCBS and categorized the studies by study design, use of survey sampling weights, and variance adjustments. We then replicated the approaches in an empirical demonstration using functional status (activities of daily living (ADL) and 2005-2007 MCBS data. Results: In the systematic review, we identified 22 pooled, 17 repeated cross-sectional, and 17 longitudinal studies. Less than half of these studies explicitly described the weighting approach or variance estimation. In the empirical demonstration, we showed that different study designs and weighting approaches will yield statistically different estimates. Conclusion: There is a variety of methodological approaches when using multiple years of the MCBS, and some of them provide biased results. Research needs to improve in describing the methods and preferred approaches for using these complex data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Medicare Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems (MCAHPS) survey, a primarily English-language mail survey with English and Spanish telephone follow-up, is the primary means of assessing the health care experiences of American seniors. We examine unit (whole survey) and item nonresponse for this survey to explore issues regarding surveying seniors about their health care. Design and Methods: We describe overall rates and analyze predictors of unit and item nonresponse for the 695,197 Medicare beneficiaries selected for the 2007 MCAHPS survey (335,249 unit respondents, 49% overall response rate). Results: Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics responded at adjusted response rates 7–17 percentage points lower than non-Hispanic Whites (p < .001 for each). Among seniors, response rates dropped beyond age 75. Asians and older beneficiaries were especially likely to respond by mail, and African Americans and Hispanics by phone. Breakoff from telephone surveys was most common among African Americans and older respondents. Among respondents, older age was the strongest predictor of item missingness (e.g., those 85 years and older failed to answer items at twice the rate of those aged 65–74 years, p < .001). Non-Hispanic Whites had lower rates of item missingness than other racial/ethnic groups (p < .001 for each; one-third lower than African Americans). Implications: Survey research on older adults, especially regarding racial/ethnic disparities in health care, could benefit from improved response rates. These results suggest that targeted prenotification materials and campaigns, tailored follow-up, targeted Spanish mailings, Chinese translations/calls, and adjustments to telephone protocols may improve representation and response. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the following pages, we examine some common methodological challenges in educational technology research and highlight new data collection approaches using examples from the literature and our own work. Given that surveys and questionnaires remain widespread and dominant tools across nearly all studies of educational technology, we first discuss the background and limitations of how researchers have traditionally used surveys to de- fine and measure technology use (as well as other variables and outcomes). Through this discussion, we introduce our own work with a visual analog "sliding" scale as an example of a new approach to survey design and data collection that capitalizes on the technology resources increasingly available in schools. Next, we highlight other challenges and opportunities inherent in the study of educational technology, including the potential for computer adaptive surveying, and discuss the critical importance of aligning outcome measures with the technological innovation, concerns with computer-based versus paper-based measures of achievement, and the need to consider the hierarchical structure of educational data in the analysis of data for evaluating the impact of technology interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive redevelopment and evaluation effort led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess the accuracy of the responses to the Pollution Abatement Costs and Expenditures (PACE) survey. The data collected by the PACE survey is important because it is the only comprehensive source of pollution abatement costs and expenditures related to environmental protection in the U.S. manufacturing sector. The PACE Survey has been administered over twenty times since 1973, yet until now, the accuracy of the survey responses has never been formally evaluated. The methods used to evaluate the survey include one-on-one interviews and site visits with manufacturing facilities to develop independent cost estimates which were compared to reported survey responses. Overall this study finds, assuming a reasonable margin of error, that the PACE survey responses reflect actual pollution abatement capital expenditures and operating costs. In addition, these interactions with facilities had a major impact on the design of the 2005 PACE survey and are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need to adapt standardized outcomes measures for community mental health in the U.S. The authors note that transferring efficacy-tested, evidence-based, treatments for mental health problems into routine practice is one of the most pressing problems in mental health services research. They emphasize that translating tested technologies to community clinical settings has proved difficult and translation science is a young filed.

This article examines the value-added of integrating onsite, farm-level environmental data with farm enterprise, resource, and household economic data when evaluating production-practice decisions and conservation program participation. Conservation practice acreage allocation and erosion plan adoption models are estimated to account for both program participation and land heterogeneity. We test whether inferences about operator behavior and conservation practices differ when aggregated environmental data is used instead of onsite information. Inference about producer behavior with respect to acres allocated to conservation structures and the probability of adopting an erosion plan differs significantly, depending on the resolution of the environmental variables used in the models. Detailed onsite information about the physical environment, management practices, and the farm household provides the analyst with a means to integrate more completely landscape heterogeneity and farm diversity within the design, implementation, and evaluation of conservation programs, thereby improving their overall cost effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extends previous work on survey validity and reliability by examining how different groups of respondents vary in their answers to survey questions about the policy system. The study uses state-representative data from a five-state study of standard-based reform in mathematics to test how predictive teacher, principal, and district administrator survey responses are of each other when respondents are asked the exact same questions about their policy environment. The analyses and discussion call attention to the importance of considering the source of information—who is responding to the survey—when relying on survey data to describe the implementation and effects of education policy. Results show that responses of teachers, principals, and district administrators tend to be similar on questions about power and barriers to implementation but are unrelated or inversely related on questions about specificity, authority, and the consequences of policy. Implications for survey design and analysis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a standard clinical screening tool for postpartum depression, it is unclear whether it is culturally appropriate for Chinese immigrant women in the United States. Cognitive interviewing (CI) is a method for evaluating a scale's cultural appropriateness. However, CI procedures are problematic with Chinese population. This study assesses three culturally tailored strategies for implementing CI to evaluate the Chinese version of the EPDS (C-EPDS)., Methodology: CI was conducted with 12 participants in the United States. Three culturally tailored strategies-a CI description, a vignette exercise, and debriefing were used. Directed content analysis was used for data analysis., Results: The strategies increased participants' understanding and ability to perform CI procedures, enabling them to discuss postpartum depression. Participants had difficulty responding to several C-EPDS items., Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of using culturally tailored strategies for implementing CI to assess cultural appropriateness of clinical screening tools.

Improving human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates is a public health priority and a crucial cancer prevention goal. We designed a survey to estimate HPV vaccination coverage and understand factors associated with HPV vaccination among American Indian adolescents aged 9 to 17 years in Cherokee Nation, United States. The final survey contains 37 questions across 10 content areas, including HPV vaccination awareness, initiation, reasons, recommendations, and beliefs. This process paper provides an overview of the survey development. We focus on the collaborative process of a tribal-academic partnership and discuss methodological decisions regarding survey sampling, measures, testing, and administration.

We assess the association between survey layout and response rates (RRs) in the 2017 Medicare Advantage Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems mail survey. Among 438 Medicare Advantage plans surveyed by six vendors, there was latitude in survey layout, and plans could add up to 12 supplemental items. Regression models predicted survey response from survey characteristics (page count, number of supplemental items, and survey attractiveness), and beneficiary sociodemographics. Beneficiary-age-by-survey-characteristic interactions assessed whether survey characteristics were more strongly related to RRs among older beneficiaries. We found that surveys with more supplemental items and less attractive layouts had lower adjusted odds of response. RRs were more sensitive to format among older beneficiaries. The difference in adjusted RRs for the most favorable versus the least favorable survey design was 14.5%. For a 65-year-old, this difference was 13.6%; for an 80-year-old, it was 21.0%. These findings suggest that even within a relatively standardized survey, formatting can substantially influence RRs.

Will the rise of genetic ancestry tests (GATs) change how Americans respond to questions about race and ancestry on censuses and surveys? To provide an answer, we draw on a unique study of more than 100,000 U.S. adults that inquired about respondents' race, ancestry, and genealogical knowledge. We find that people in our sample who have taken a GAT, compared with those who have not, are more likely to self-identify as multiracial and are particularly likely to select three or more races. This difference in multiple-race reporting stems from three factors: (1) people who identify as multiracial are more likely to take GATs; (2) GAT takers are more likely to report multiple regions of ancestral origin; and (3) GAT takers more frequently translate reported ancestral diversity into multiracial self-identification. Our results imply that Americans will select three or more races at higher rates in future demographic data collection, with marked increases in multiple-race reporting among middle-aged adults. We also present experimental evidence that asking questions about ancestry before racial identification moderates some of these GAT-linked reporting differences. Demographers should consider how the meaning of U.S. race data may be changing as more Americans are exposed to information from GATs., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors.)

We assess the value of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) for research in health economics by conducting a survey of leading health economists. We analyze the survey responses to provide an assessment of the strengths of the HRS for this kind of research, as well as the obstacles that prevent it from being used more widely. We offer some suggestions as to how these obstacles might be overcome through changes to the survey and actions to increase survey awareness and access.

The United States funds a number of national monitoring programs to measure the status and trends of ecological and natural resources. Each of these programs has a unique focus; the scientific objectives are different as arc the sample designs. However, individuals and committees, all well aware of the cost of ecological monitoring, have called for more effective monitoring programs. The objective of this paper is to summarize existing programs' statistical designs and discuss potential alternatives for improvement in national monitoring. Can weimprove the current situation by providing an overall framework for the design or analysis of data from these disparate surveys? First, the paper summarizes the objectives of these surveys compares and contrasts their survey designs as currently implemented, and determines what variables they collect. Through this process we identify commonalities and issues that impact our ability to combine information across one or more of the surveys. Three potential alternatives are presented, leading to comprehensive monitoring in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]