Considerations in the Study Design of a Mobile Phone Survey of the Haitian Population

• Activity Number: 550
• Type: Other
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: ASA
• Author(s): James D. Ashley*+ and Fritz Scheuren
• Companies: U.S. Government Accountability Office (U.S. GAO) and NORC

Abstract

We outline the feasibility and benefits of conducting telephone interviews to measure the economic impact of the January 2010 Haitian earthquake using a random digit dial (RDD) sample of mobile phone numbers. Traditional methods of sampling and data collection after the earthquake would have been difficult, time consuming, and costly. The logistical challenges caused by the destruction of buildings and roads, the large amount of internal displacement, migration away from the Port-au-Prince population center, and the increasing use of mobile phones in Haiti made this kind of survey an attractive option. Moreover, mobile technology in Haiti allowed us to deliver instant incentives by adding pre-paid minutes to the respondents' cell phones. Our presentation will focus on coverage issues, contact and response rates, defining households, and the construction of appropriate household weigh