A Comparison of Data Collected Using Address-Based Sampling to Those from Alternate Sampling Techniques in the National Children's Study

• Activity Number: 17
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Sunday, July 31, 2011 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Katie Dekker*+ and Ned English and Colm O'Muircheartaigh and Martin Barron
• Companies: NORC at the The University of Chicago and NORC at the The University of Chicago and NORC at the The University of Chicago and NORC at the The University of Chicago
• Keywords: address based sampling ; frame construction

Abstract

The extended pilot phase of the National Children's Study (NCS) provides a unique opportunity to compare and contrast alternative sampling strategies. The NCS is currently undergoing data collection in 30 primary sampling units across the United States in an effort to examine a wide variety of environmental factors on the health of children from before birth until the age of 21. This research will compare data collected through three distinct designs: 1) in-person visits resulting from address based sampling, 2) a mailing and call-in approach using address based sampling, and 3) medical provider recruitment efforts. The study objectives are the same across all three methodologies, and we will examine which method most closely represents the expected population of a given county. Close attention will be given to expected number of pregnancies/births as compared to reported pregnancies/births, as well as how well a variety of demographic variables reported by survey respondents compares to Census and American Community Survey data. The research will compare data collected across the three methods to determine which appears to best represent the population.