Online Program

The NCHS Research and Development Survey (304131)

Keywords: measurement, web surveys, commercial panels, health

The Research and Development Survey (RANDS) at the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is a methodological survey for understanding the usefulness in two research areas of commercial probability-sampled panels that primarily collect data using web surveys. One research area examines the use of close-ended probe questions and split-panel experiments for evaluating question-response patterns. Another area is the development of statistical methodology to leverage the strength of established national surveys to evaluate, and possibly improve, health estimates from recruited panels. Three rounds of RANDS have been completed and additional rounds are planned. Commercial panels, with lower costs and faster production cycles, in combination with established population surveys, may be useful for some purposes for federal statistical agencies. In addition to the research purposes, experimental estimates for selected outcomes will be released in the summer of 2020. This talk will describe the RANDS program, provide initial results for both research areas, and discuss communication associated with the release of experimental estimates by a federal agency.