Rapid Surveys at the National Center for Health Statistics

• Activity Number: 105 - Advances in Statistical Methods and Models for Real-Time Surveys
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 8, 2022 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Survey Research Methods Section
• Author(s): Jennifer Parker* and Stephen Blumberg
• Companies: National Center for Health Statistics and NCHS
• Keywords: survey; weights; National Health Interview Survey; health

Abstract

The National Center for Health Statistics is developing a program called Rapid Surveys for collecting data using commercial web-based survey platforms for relevant and timely estimates on high priority health topics for decision making. Rapid Surveys builds on the success of the NCHS Research and Development Survey (RANDS) that was re-purposed from a research platform to produce important information for the COVID-19 pandemic. Health topics for Rapid Surveys will be determined by NCHS and CDC priorities with specific survey questions developed in collaboration with the NCHS Question Design Research Lab. Characteristics of the program will include regular quarterly data collections of 4,000 completed responses from one or more panels, with model-based weights developed by NCHS that leverage the strength of NCHS core health surveys, such as the National Health Interview Survey. The ability to align variables for improving sample weights is a key strength of the Rapid Surveys program. This presentation will describe the Rapid Surveys program, its milestones in 2022, and its expected implementation.