Early Experiences When Transitioning from RDD to a Postal Mail Survey Using a Paper Questionnaire

• Activity Number: 538 - Transitions from Telephone Surveys to Self-Administered and Mixed-Mode Surveys
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Thursday, August 11, 2022 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Survey Research Methods Section
• Author(s): David Cantor*
• Companies: Westat
• Keywords: Mode effects; Response rates

Abstract

In 2007, the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) transitioned from a random digit dial (RDD) survey to an address based sample (ABS) using postal delivery of a paper questionnaire. When the survey changed designs, it split the sample and ran parallel surveys to assist in assessing the effects of the change and bridging the HINTS time series. We will describe the primary reasons the survey eventually moved to an ABS-paper design and some of the issues that came up as the survey moved to a different mode.