44 – Address Based, RDD and Cell Phone, and Respondent-Driven Sampling
Unpacking the DSF in an Attempt to Better Reach the Drop Point Population
Ashley Amaya
NORC
Katherine Dekker
NORC
Ned English
NORC
Drop points are a challenging component of the United States Postal Service's Delivery Sequence File (DSF) with respect to survey research. Drop points occur when there is a single mail receptacle serving multiple units, resulting in no designation between units. This lack of unit identifier impedes mail or phone contact. NORC conducted a limited field study of drop points in 2011, which showed that they are often geographically clustered. Additionally, buildings containing drop point units tend to be similar in structure to neighboring buildings without drop points. At question is whether or not individuals living in drop points are different from residents at non-drop point addresses. This paper attempts to determine if the presence of drop points on the DSF creates coverage bias and whom we would be missing if we eliminate drop points from the sampling frame.
