Legal and Procedural Issues Encountered in Conducting the 2003 JCUSH

• Activity Number: 321
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Health Policy Statistics
• Author(s): Jennifer Madans*+ and Lorna Bailie
• Companies: National Center for Health Statistics and Statistics Canada
• Keywords: legal requirements ; ethical requirements ; international comparability

Abstract

The Joint Canada U.S. Health Survey, a one-time telephone survey conducted in both countries, tests whether two national statistical offices can integrate their survey design and analysis activities to achieve a greater degree of international comparability. To achieve this objective, design and implementation differences at all stages of the survey were controlled and a single data collection agent, Statistics Canada, was used. As a part of the planning process, all differences between U.S. and Canadian legal and ethical requirements were identified and evaluated as to how they might impact the survey. Collection activities were designed in accordance with the requirements found in the respective countries. Although the fundamental principles around privacy, confidentiality and respondent burden were the same in both countries, the processes for implementing these requirements were quite different. These differences had unanticipated consequences for how the survey was carried out. This presentation will review these legal and procedural issues and discuss what was learned about standard survey processes in both countries as these challenges were overcome.