The Influence of Prior Experiences in Managing Current and Future Risks During Survey Transition Points on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)

• Activity Number: 151
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Monday, August 2, 2010 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Joe Gfroerer*+ and Jonaki Bose
• Companies: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Keywords: survey redesign ; context effects ; measuring trends ; data quality ; incentives ; editing and imputation

Abstract

Since its inception in 1971, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has experienced many changes, including the transfer of the survey between federal agencies; changes in government project officers and contractors; modifications to questionnaire content; major changes to the sample design and size; introduction of new modes of data collection and incentive payments to respondents; changes in the oversight and management of field staff; and introduction of new weighting, editing, and imputation methods. Some of these changes have, not surprisingly, resulted in both intended and unintended consequences, in some cases despite best efforts to control and quantify the effects of these changes. This paper uses examples to illustrate how prior experiences have influenced both ongoing practices and the current approach to redesigning the survey.