SAS procedures for designing and analyzing sample surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stafford, Joshua D.; Reinecke, Kenneth J.; Kaminski, Richard M.

2003-01-01

Complex surveys often are necessary to estimate occurrence (or distribution), density, and abundance of plants and animals for purposes of re-search and conservation. Most scientists are familiar with simple random sampling, where sample units are selected from a population of interest (sampling frame) with equal probability. However, the goal of ecological surveys often is to make inferences about populations over large or complex spatial areas where organisms are not homogeneously distributed or sampling frames are in-convenient or impossible to construct. Candidate sampling strategies for such complex surveys include stratified,multistage, and adaptive sampling (Thompson 1992, Buckland 1994).

Sampling in epidemiological research: issues, hazards and pitfalls.

PubMed

Tyrer, Stephen; Heyman, Bob

2016-04-01

Surveys of people's opinions are fraught with difficulties. It is easier to obtain information from those who respond to text messages or to emails than to attempt to obtain a representative sample. Samples of the population that are selected non-randomly in this way are termed convenience samples as they are easy to recruit. This introduces a sampling bias. Such non-probability samples have merit in many situations, but an epidemiological enquiry is of little value unless a random sample is obtained. If a sufficient number of those selected actually complete a survey, the results are likely to be representative of the population. This editorial describes probability and non-probability sampling methods and illustrates the difficulties and suggested solutions in performing accurate epidemiological research.

Sampling in epidemiological research: issues, hazards and pitfalls

PubMed Central

Tyrer, Stephen; Heyman, Bob

2016-01-01

Surveys of people's opinions are fraught with difficulties. It is easier to obtain information from those who respond to text messages or to emails than to attempt to obtain a representative sample. Samples of the population that are selected non-randomly in this way are termed convenience samples as they are easy to recruit. This introduces a sampling bias. Such non-probability samples have merit in many situations, but an epidemiological enquiry is of little value unless a random sample is obtained. If a sufficient number of those selected actually complete a survey, the results are likely to be representative of the population. This editorial describes probability and non-probability sampling methods and illustrates the difficulties and suggested solutions in performing accurate epidemiological research. PMID:27087985

Reasons for nonresponse in a web-based survey of alcohol involvement among first-year college students.

PubMed

Cranford, James A; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Boyd, Carol J; Slayden, Janie; Reed, Mark B; Ketchie, Julie M; Lange, James E; Scott, Marcia S

2008-01-01

This study conducted a follow-up telephone survey of a probability sample of college students who did not respond to a Web survey to determine correlates of and reasons for nonresponse. A stratified random sample of 2502 full-time first-year undergraduate students was invited to participate in a Web-based survey. A random sample of 221 students who did not respond to the original Web survey completed an abbreviated version of the original survey by telephone. Nonresponse did not vary by gender, but nonresponse was higher among Blacks and Hispanics compared to Whites, and Blacks compared to Asians. Nonresponders reported lower frequency of past 28 days drinking, lower levels of past-year and past 28-days heavy episodic drinking, and more time spent preparing for classes than responders. The most common reasons for nonresponse were "too busy" (45.7%), "not interested" (18.1%), and "forgot to complete survey" (18.1%). Reasons for nonresponse to Web surveys among college students are similar to reasons for nonresponse to mail and telephone surveys, and some nonresponse reasons vary as a function of alcohol involvement.

Single-Phase Mail Survey Design for Rare Population Subgroups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brick, J. Michael; Andrews, William R.; Mathiowetz, Nancy A.

2016-01-01

Although using random digit dialing (RDD) telephone samples was the preferred method for conducting surveys of households for many years, declining response and coverage rates have led researchers to explore alternative approaches. The use of address-based sampling (ABS) has been examined for sampling the general population and subgroups, most…

Los Angeles Community College District Fall 1996 Student Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prather, George; Kelly, Dexter

This report presents the results of the 1996 Los Angeles Community College District Student Survey. The survey was administered in a randomly selected group of classes. Each college sample is independent of the others and the proportion of students sampled within each college will vary. Responses were weighted inversely to account for…

Growing cell-phone population and noncoverage bias in traditional random digit dial telephone health surveys.

PubMed

Lee, Sunghee; Brick, J Michael; Brown, E Richard; Grant, David

2010-08-01

Examine the effect of including cell-phone numbers in a traditional landline random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey. The 2007 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). CHIS 2007 is an RDD telephone survey supplementing a landline sample in California with a sample of cell-only (CO) adults. We examined the degree of bias due to exclusion of CO populations and compared a series of demographic and health-related characteristics by telephone usage. When adjusted for noncoverage in the landline sample through weighting, the potential noncoverage bias due to excluding CO adults in landline telephone surveys is diminished. Both CO adults and adults who have both landline and cell phones but mostly use cell phones appear different from other telephone usage groups. Controlling for demographic differences did not attenuate the significant distinctiveness of cell-mostly adults. While careful weighting can mitigate noncoverage bias in landline telephone surveys, the rapid growth of cell-phone population and their distinctive characteristics suggest it is important to include a cell-phone sample. Moreover, the threat of noncoverage bias in telephone health survey estimates could mislead policy makers with possibly serious consequences for their ability to address important health policy issues.

Does Self-Selection Affect Samples’ Representativeness in Online Surveys? An Investigation in Online Video Game Research

PubMed Central

van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Background The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Objective Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players’ virtual characters (avatars). Methods All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars’ characteristics were defined using various games’ scores, reported on the WoW’s official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. Results We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Conclusions Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted. PMID:25001007

Workforce Readiness: A Study of University Students' Fluency with Information Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminski, Karen; Switzer, Jamie; Gloeckner, Gene

2009-01-01

This study with data collected from a large sample of freshmen in 2001 and a random stratified sample of seniors in 2005 examined students perceived FITness (fluency with Information Technology). In the fall of 2001 freshmen at a medium sized research-one institution completed a survey and in spring 2005 a random sample of graduating seniors…

Accounting for selection bias in association studies with complex survey data.

PubMed

Wirth, Kathleen E; Tchetgen Tchetgen, Eric J

2014-05-01

Obtaining representative information from hidden and hard-to-reach populations is fundamental to describe the epidemiology of many sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Unfortunately, simple random sampling is impractical in these settings, as no registry of names exists from which to sample the population at random. However, complex sampling designs can be used, as members of these populations tend to congregate at known locations, which can be enumerated and sampled at random. For example, female sex workers may be found at brothels and street corners, whereas injection drug users often come together at shooting galleries. Despite the logistical appeal, complex sampling schemes lead to unequal probabilities of selection, and failure to account for this differential selection can result in biased estimates of population averages and relative risks. However, standard techniques to account for selection can lead to substantial losses in efficiency. Consequently, researchers implement a variety of strategies in an effort to balance validity and efficiency. Some researchers fully or partially account for the survey design, whereas others do nothing and treat the sample as a realization of the population of interest. We use directed acyclic graphs to show how certain survey sampling designs, combined with subject-matter considerations unique to individual exposure-outcome associations, can induce selection bias. Finally, we present a novel yet simple maximum likelihood approach for analyzing complex survey data; this approach optimizes statistical efficiency at no cost to validity. We use simulated data to illustrate this method and compare it with other analytic techniques.

Sampling in health geography: reconciling geographical objectives and probabilistic methods. An example of a health survey in Vientiane (Lao PDR)

PubMed Central

Vallée, Julie; Souris, Marc; Fournet, Florence; Bochaton, Audrey; Mobillion, Virginie; Peyronnie, Karine; Salem, Gérard

2007-01-01

Background Geographical objectives and probabilistic methods are difficult to reconcile in a unique health survey. Probabilistic methods focus on individuals to provide estimates of a variable's prevalence with a certain precision, while geographical approaches emphasise the selection of specific areas to study interactions between spatial characteristics and health outcomes. A sample selected from a small number of specific areas creates statistical challenges: the observations are not independent at the local level, and this results in poor statistical validity at the global level. Therefore, it is difficult to construct a sample that is appropriate for both geographical and probability methods. Methods We used a two-stage selection procedure with a first non-random stage of selection of clusters. Instead of randomly selecting clusters, we deliberately chose a group of clusters, which as a whole would contain all the variation in health measures in the population. As there was no health information available before the survey, we selected a priori determinants that can influence the spatial homogeneity of the health characteristics. This method yields a distribution of variables in the sample that closely resembles that in the overall population, something that cannot be guaranteed with randomly-selected clusters, especially if the number of selected clusters is small. In this way, we were able to survey specific areas while minimising design effects and maximising statistical precision. Application We applied this strategy in a health survey carried out in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic. We selected well-known health determinants with unequal spatial distribution within the city: nationality and literacy. We deliberately selected a combination of clusters whose distribution of nationality and literacy is similar to the distribution in the general population. Conclusion This paper describes the conceptual reasoning behind the construction of the survey sample and shows that it can be advantageous to choose clusters using reasoned hypotheses, based on both probability and geographical approaches, in contrast to a conventional, random cluster selection strategy. PMID:17543100

Sampling in health geography: reconciling geographical objectives and probabilistic methods. An example of a health survey in Vientiane (Lao PDR).

PubMed

Vallée, Julie; Souris, Marc; Fournet, Florence; Bochaton, Audrey; Mobillion, Virginie; Peyronnie, Karine; Salem, Gérard

2007-06-01

Geographical objectives and probabilistic methods are difficult to reconcile in a unique health survey. Probabilistic methods focus on individuals to provide estimates of a variable's prevalence with a certain precision, while geographical approaches emphasise the selection of specific areas to study interactions between spatial characteristics and health outcomes. A sample selected from a small number of specific areas creates statistical challenges: the observations are not independent at the local level, and this results in poor statistical validity at the global level. Therefore, it is difficult to construct a sample that is appropriate for both geographical and probability methods. We used a two-stage selection procedure with a first non-random stage of selection of clusters. Instead of randomly selecting clusters, we deliberately chose a group of clusters, which as a whole would contain all the variation in health measures in the population. As there was no health information available before the survey, we selected a priori determinants that can influence the spatial homogeneity of the health characteristics. This method yields a distribution of variables in the sample that closely resembles that in the overall population, something that cannot be guaranteed with randomly-selected clusters, especially if the number of selected clusters is small. In this way, we were able to survey specific areas while minimising design effects and maximising statistical precision. We applied this strategy in a health survey carried out in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic. We selected well-known health determinants with unequal spatial distribution within the city: nationality and literacy. We deliberately selected a combination of clusters whose distribution of nationality and literacy is similar to the distribution in the general population. This paper describes the conceptual reasoning behind the construction of the survey sample and shows that it can be advantageous to choose clusters using reasoned hypotheses, based on both probability and geographical approaches, in contrast to a conventional, random cluster selection strategy.

Findings from the 2013 NZCER Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Zealand Council for Educational Research, 2014

2014-01-01

The New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) primary and intermediate schools national survey was carried out in July-August 2013. NZCER questioned principals, teachers and trustees at a representative sample of schools, and sought the views of a random sample of 1 in 4 parents in 36 of these schools. In all, the survey gathered data…

Survey Response in a Statewide Social Experiment: Differences in Being Located and Collaborating, by Race and Hispanic Origin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nam, Yunju; Mason, Lisa Reyes; Kim, Youngmi; Clancy, Margaret; Sherraden, Michael

2013-01-01

This study examined whether and how survey response differs by race and Hispanic origin, using data from birth certificates and survey administrative data for a large-scale statewide experiment. The sample consisted of mothers of infants selected from Oklahoma birth certificates using a stratified random sampling method (N = 7,111). This study…

Describing Typical Capstone Course Experiences from a National Random Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grahe, Jon E.; Hauhart, Robert C.

2013-01-01

The pedagogical value of capstones has been regularly discussed within psychology. This study presents results from an examination of a national random sample of department webpages and an online survey that characterized the typical capstone course in terms of classroom activities and course administration. The department webpages provide an…

USING GIS TO GENERATE SPATIALLY-BALANCED RANDOM SURVEY DESIGNS FOR NATURAL RESOURCE APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling of a population is frequently required to understand trends and patterns in natural resource management because financial and time constraints preclude a complete census. A rigorous probability-based survey design specifies where to sample so that inferences from the sam...

General aviation pilot and aircraft activity survey

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-12-01

This report provides a summary and analysis of the data collected : in the 1981 General Aviation Pilot and Aircraft Activity Survey. : The survey was conducted at a random sample of airports across the : nation throughout the months of July, August, ...

General aviation pilot and aircraft activity survey.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-12-01

This report provides a summary and analysis of the data collected : in the 1981 General Aviation Pilot and Aircraft Activity Survey. : The survey was conducted at a random sample of airports across the : nation throughout the months of July, August, ...

Statistical methods for efficient design of community surveys of response to noise: Random coefficients regression models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomberlin, T. J.

1985-01-01

Research studies of residents' responses to noise consist of interviews with samples of individuals who are drawn from a number of different compact study areas. The statistical techniques developed provide a basis for those sample design decisions. These techniques are suitable for a wide range of sample survey applications. A sample may consist of a random sample of residents selected from a sample of compact study areas, or in a more complex design, of a sample of residents selected from a sample of larger areas (e.g., cities). The techniques may be applied to estimates of the effects on annoyance of noise level, numbers of noise events, the time-of-day of the events, ambient noise levels, or other factors. Methods are provided for determining, in advance, how accurately these effects can be estimated for different sample sizes and study designs. Using a simple cost function, they also provide for optimum allocation of the sample across the stages of the design for estimating these effects. These techniques are developed via a regression model in which the regression coefficients are assumed to be random, with components of variance associated with the various stages of a multi-stage sample design.

Reaching a Representative Sample of College Students: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giovenco, Daniel P.; Gundersen, Daniel A.; Delnevo, Cristine D.

2016-01-01

Objective: To explore the feasibility of a random-digit dial (RDD) cellular phone survey in order to reach a national and representative sample of college students. Methods: Demographic distributions from the 2011 National Young Adult Health Survey (NYAHS) were benchmarked against enrollment numbers from the Integrated Postsecondary Education…

Assessing the Status of Wild Felids in a Highly-Disturbed Commercial Forest Reserve in Borneo and the Implications for Camera Trap Survey Design

PubMed Central

Wearn, Oliver R.; Rowcliffe, J. Marcus; Carbone, Chris; Bernard, Henry; Ewers, Robert M.

2013-01-01

The proliferation of camera-trapping studies has led to a spate of extensions in the known distributions of many wild cat species, not least in Borneo. However, we still do not have a clear picture of the spatial patterns of felid abundance in Southeast Asia, particularly with respect to the large areas of highly-disturbed habitat. An important obstacle to increasing the usefulness of camera trap data is the widespread practice of setting cameras at non-random locations. Non-random deployment interacts with non-random space-use by animals, causing biases in our inferences about relative abundance from detection frequencies alone. This may be a particular problem if surveys do not adequately sample the full range of habitat features present in a study region. Using camera-trapping records and incidental sightings from the Kalabakan Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, we aimed to assess the relative abundance of felid species in highly-disturbed forest, as well as investigate felid space-use and the potential for biases resulting from non-random sampling. Although the area has been intensively logged over three decades, it was found to still retain the full complement of Bornean felids, including the bay cat Pardofelis badia, a poorly known Bornean endemic. Camera-trapping using strictly random locations detected four of the five Bornean felid species and revealed inter- and intra-specific differences in space-use. We compare our results with an extensive dataset of >1,200 felid records from previous camera-trapping studies and show that the relative abundance of the bay cat, in particular, may have previously been underestimated due to the use of non-random survey locations. Further surveys for this species using random locations will be crucial in determining its conservation status. We advocate the more wide-spread use of random survey locations in future camera-trapping surveys in order to increase the robustness and generality of inferences that can be made. PMID:24223717

Exploratory and Confirmatory Analysis of the Trauma Practices Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Carlton D.; Sprang, Ginny

2009-01-01

Objective: The present study provides psychometric data for the Trauma Practices Questionnaire (TPQ). Method: A nationally randomized sample of 2,400 surveys was sent to self-identified trauma treatment specialists, and 711 (29.6%) were returned. Results: An exploratory factor analysis (N = 319) conducted on a randomly split sample (RSS) revealed…

Sparsely sampling the sky: Regular vs. random sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paykari, P.; Pires, S.; Starck, J.-L.; Jaffe, A. H.

2015-09-01

Aims: The next generation of galaxy surveys, aiming to observe millions of galaxies, are expensive both in time and money. This raises questions regarding the optimal investment of this time and money for future surveys. In a previous work, we have shown that a sparse sampling strategy could be a powerful substitute for the - usually favoured - contiguous observation of the sky. In our previous paper, regular sparse sampling was investigated, where the sparse observed patches were regularly distributed on the sky. The regularity of the mask introduces a periodic pattern in the window function, which induces periodic correlations at specific scales. Methods: In this paper, we use a Bayesian experimental design to investigate a "random" sparse sampling approach, where the observed patches are randomly distributed over the total sparsely sampled area. Results: We find that in this setting, the induced correlation is evenly distributed amongst all scales as there is no preferred scale in the window function. Conclusions: This is desirable when we are interested in any specific scale in the galaxy power spectrum, such as the matter-radiation equality scale. As the figure of merit shows, however, there is no preference between regular and random sampling to constrain the overall galaxy power spectrum and the cosmological parameters.

General aviation pilot and aircraft activity survey

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-12-01

This report provides a summary and analysis of the data collected : 1n the 1978 General Aviation Pilot and Aircraft Activity Survey. The : survey Has conducted at a random sample of airports across the nation : and Puerto Rico, throughout the months ...

General aviation pilot and aircraft activity survey.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-09-01

This report provides a summary and analysis of the data collected in the 1984 General Aviation Pilot and Aircraft Activity Survey. The survey was conducted at a random sample of airports across the nation throughout the months of July, August, and Se...

An Integrational Model of Quality of Life in Older Age. Results from the Esrc/mrc Hsrc Quality of Life Survey in Britain.(author Abstract)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowling, Ann; Gabriel, Zahava

2004-01-01

This paper is based on the results of a national survey of the quality of life of 999 randomly sampled people aged 65 and over, living at home in Britain. The survey was semi-structured, and a sample of survey respondents was followed up and interviewed in-depth in order to explore their perceptions of quality of life in full. Comparisons are made…

24 CFR 902.52 - Distribution of survey to residents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Distribution of survey to residents... § 902.52 Distribution of survey to residents. (a) Sampling. A statistically valid number of units will be chosen to receive the Resident Service and Satisfaction Survey. These units will be randomly...

General Aviation Pilot and Aircraft Activity Survey : 1978

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-12-01

This report provides a summary and analysis of the data collected in the 1978 General Aviation Pilot and Aircraft Activity Survey. The survey was conducted at a random sample of airports across the nation and Puerto Rico, throughout the months of Jul...

1998 motor vehicle occupant safety survey. Volume 1, methodology report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

This is the Methodology Report for the 1998 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey. The survey is conducted on a biennial basis (initiated in 1994), and is administered by telephone to a randomly selected national sample. Two questionnaires are used, e...

Methodological considerations in using complex survey data: an applied example with the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey.

PubMed

Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L; McWayne, Christine M; Bulotsky-Shearer, Rebecca J; Wen, Xiaoli; Faria, Ann-Marie

2011-06-01

Complex survey data are collected by means other than simple random samples. This creates two analytical issues: nonindependence and unequal selection probability. Failing to address these issues results in underestimated standard errors and biased parameter estimates. Using data from the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES; 1997 and 2000 cohorts), three diverse multilevel models are presented that illustrate differences in results depending on addressing or ignoring the complex sampling issues. Limitations of using complex survey data are reported, along with recommendations for reporting complex sample results. © The Author(s) 2011

Guided transect sampling - a new design combining prior information and field surveying

Treesearch

Anna Ringvall; Goran Stahl; Tomas Lamas

2000-01-01

Guided transect sampling is a two-stage sampling design in which prior information is used to guide the field survey in the second stage. In the first stage, broad strips are randomly selected and divided into grid-cells. For each cell a covariate value is estimated from remote sensing data, for example. The covariate is the basis for subsampling of a transect through...

Representative Sampling: Follow-up of Spring 1972 and Spring 1973 Students. TEX-SIS FOLLOW-UP SC3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Larry; And Others

This report presents the findings of a research study, conducted by the College of the Mainland (COM) as a subcontractor for Project FOLLOW-UP, designed to test the accuracy of random sampling and to measure non-response bias in mail surveys. In 1975, a computer-generated random sample of 500 students was drawn from a population of 1,256 students…

The Dirichlet-Multinomial Model for Multivariate Randomized Response Data and Small Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avetisyan, Marianna; Fox, Jean-Paul

2012-01-01

In survey sampling the randomized response (RR) technique can be used to obtain truthful answers to sensitive questions. Although the individual answers are masked due to the RR technique, individual (sensitive) response rates can be estimated when observing multivariate response data. The beta-binomial model for binary RR data will be generalized…

A Model for Predicting Behavioural Sleep Problems in a Random Sample of Australian Pre-Schoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Wendy A.; Zubrick, Stephen R.; Silburn, Sven R.; Parsons, Deborah E.; Kurinczuk, Jennifer J.

2007-01-01

Behavioural sleep problems (childhood insomnias) can cause distress for both parents and children. This paper reports a model describing predictors of high sleep problem scores in a representative population-based random sample survey of non-Aboriginal singleton children born in 1995 and 1996 (1085 girls and 1129 boys) in Western Australia.…

The Relationship between Teachers Commitment and Female Students Academic Achievements in Some Selected Secondary School in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bibiso, Abyot; Olango, Menna; Bibiso, Mesfin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teacher's commitment and female students academic achievement in selected secondary school of Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia. The research method employed was survey study and the sampling techniques were purposive, simple random and stratified random sampling. Questionnaire…

The Danish National Health Survey 2010. Study design and respondent characteristics.

PubMed

Christensen, Anne Illemann; Ekholm, Ola; Glümer, Charlotte; Andreasen, Anne Helms; Hvidberg, Michael Falk; Kristensen, Peter Lund; Larsen, Finn Breinholt; Ortiz, Britta; Juel, Knud

2012-06-01

In 2010 the five Danish regions and the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark conducted a national representative health survey among the adult population in Denmark. This paper describes the study design and the sample and study population as well as the content of the questionnaire. The survey was based on five regional stratified random samples and one national random sample. The samples were mutually exclusive. A total of 298,550 individuals (16 years or older) were invited to participate. Information was collected using a mixed mode approach (paper and web questionnaires). A questionnaire with a minimum of 52 core questions was used in all six subsamples. Calibrated weights were computed in order to take account of the complex survey design and reduce non-response bias. In all, 177,639 individuals completed the questionnaire (59.5%). The response rate varied from 52.3% in the Capital Region of Denmark sample to 65.5% in the North Denmark Region sample. The response rate was particularly low among young men, unmarried people and among individuals with a different ethnic background than Danish. The survey was a result of extensive national cooperation across sectors, which makes it unique in its field of application, e.g. health surveillance, planning and prioritizing public health initiatives and research. However, the low response rate in some subgroups of the study population can pose problems in generalizing data, and efforts to increase the response rate will be important in the forthcoming surveys.

Visitor and community survey results for Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Completion report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sexton, Natalie R.; Stewart, Susan C.; Koontz, Lynne; Ponds, Phadrea; Walters, Katherine D.

2007-01-01

Community residents’ perceptions and opinions Data for this study were collected using a survey administered to visitors to Prime Hook NWR and individuals living in the communities surrounding the Refuge. Surveys were randomly distributed to both consumptive and nonconsumptive use visitors over a one year period (September 2004 to September 2005) to account for seasonal variation in Refuge use. Three hundred thirty-two visitor surveys were returned for a response rate of 80 percent with a confidence interval of ± 5.4. Surveys were also distributed to a stratified random sample of community members in adjacent and surrounding areas (Slaughter Beach, Broadkill Beach, Prime Hook Beach, Milton, Lewes, Milford, and surrounding communities). Four hundred ninety-one surveys from the overall community sample were returned for a response rate of 39 percent with a ± 4.4 confidence interval. Community member results were weighted by U.S. Census Bureau data to correct for age and gender bias, and for community proportionality.

A two-phase sampling survey for nonresponse and its paradata to correct nonresponse bias in a health surveillance survey.

PubMed

Santin, G; Bénézet, L; Geoffroy-Perez, B; Bouyer, J; Guéguen, A

2017-02-01

The decline in participation rates in surveys, including epidemiological surveillance surveys, has become a real concern since it may increase nonresponse bias. The aim of this study is to estimate the contribution of a complementary survey among a subsample of nonrespondents, and the additional contribution of paradata in correcting for nonresponse bias in an occupational health surveillance survey. In 2010, 10,000 workers were randomly selected and sent a postal questionnaire. Sociodemographic data were available for the whole sample. After data collection of the questionnaires, a complementary survey among a random subsample of 500 nonrespondents was performed using a questionnaire administered by an interviewer. Paradata were collected for the complete subsample of the complementary survey. Nonresponse bias in the initial sample and in the combined samples were assessed using variables from administrative databases available for the whole sample, not subject to differential measurement errors. Corrected prevalences by reweighting technique were estimated by first using the initial survey alone and then the initial and complementary surveys combined, under several assumptions regarding the missing data process. Results were compared by computing relative errors. The response rates of the initial and complementary surveys were 23.6% and 62.6%, respectively. For the initial and the combined surveys, the relative errors decreased after correction for nonresponse on sociodemographic variables. For the combined surveys without paradata, relative errors decreased compared with the initial survey. The contribution of the paradata was weak. When a complex descriptive survey has a low response rate, a short complementary survey among nonrespondents with a protocol which aims to maximize the response rates, is useful. The contribution of sociodemographic variables in correcting for nonresponse bias is important whereas the additional contribution of paradata in correcting for nonresponse bias is questionable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Sample Size Calculations for Population Size Estimation Studies Using Multiplier Methods With Respondent-Driven Sampling Surveys.

PubMed

Fearon, Elizabeth; Chabata, Sungai T; Thompson, Jennifer A; Cowan, Frances M; Hargreaves, James R

2017-09-14

While guidance exists for obtaining population size estimates using multiplier methods with respondent-driven sampling surveys, we lack specific guidance for making sample size decisions. To guide the design of multiplier method population size estimation studies using respondent-driven sampling surveys to reduce the random error around the estimate obtained. The population size estimate is obtained by dividing the number of individuals receiving a service or the number of unique objects distributed (M) by the proportion of individuals in a representative survey who report receipt of the service or object (P). We have developed an approach to sample size calculation, interpreting methods to estimate the variance around estimates obtained using multiplier methods in conjunction with research into design effects and respondent-driven sampling. We describe an application to estimate the number of female sex workers in Harare, Zimbabwe. There is high variance in estimates. Random error around the size estimate reflects uncertainty from M and P, particularly when the estimate of P in the respondent-driven sampling survey is low. As expected, sample size requirements are higher when the design effect of the survey is assumed to be greater. We suggest a method for investigating the effects of sample size on the precision of a population size estimate obtained using multipler methods and respondent-driven sampling. Uncertainty in the size estimate is high, particularly when P is small, so balancing against other potential sources of bias, we advise researchers to consider longer service attendance reference periods and to distribute more unique objects, which is likely to result in a higher estimate of P in the respondent-driven sampling survey. ©Elizabeth Fearon, Sungai T Chabata, Jennifer A Thompson, Frances M Cowan, James R Hargreaves. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 14.09.2017.

A Repeat Random Survey of the Prevalence of Falsified and Substandard Antimalarials in the Lao PDR: A Change for the Better

PubMed Central

Tabernero, Patricia; Mayxay, Mayfong; Culzoni, María Julia; Dwivedi, Prabha; Swamidoss, Isabel; Allan, Elizabeth Louise; Khanthavong, Maniphone; Phonlavong, Chindaphone; Vilayhong, Chantala; Yeuchaixiong, Sengchanh; Sichanh, Chanvilay; Sengaloundeth, Sivong; Kaur, Harparkash; Fernández, Facundo M.; Green, Michael D.; Newton, Paul N.

2015-01-01

In 2003, a stratified random sample survey was conducted in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) to study the availability and quality of antimalarials in the private sector. In 2012, this survey was repeated to allow a statistically valid analysis of change through time. The counterfeit detection device 3 (CD-3) was used to assess packaging quality in the field and HPLC and mass spectroscopy analysis chemical analysis performed. The availability of oral artesunate monotherapies had significantly decreased from 22.9% (22) of 96 outlets in southern Laos in 2003 to 4.8% (7) of 144 outlets in 2012 (P < 0.0001). All the samples collected in the 2012 survey contained the correct active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in contrast to the 21 (84%) falsified artesunate samples found in the 2003 survey. Although none of the medicines found in 2012 survey had evidence for falsification, 25.4% (37) of the samples were outside the 90–110% pharmacopeial limits of the label claim, suggesting that they were substandard or degraded. Results obtained from this survey show that patients are still exposed to poorly manufactured drugs or to ineffective medicines such as chloroquine. The quality of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) used in Laos needs to be monitored, since falsified ACTs would have devastating consequences in public health. PMID:25897062

42 CFR 416.140 - Surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Surveys. 416.140 Section 416.140 Public Health... Furnished Before January 1, 2008 § 416.140 Surveys. (a) Timing, purpose, and procedures. (1) No more often than once a year, CMS conducts a survey of a randomly selected sample of participating ASCs to collect...

42 CFR 416.140 - Surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Surveys. 416.140 Section 416.140 Public Health... January 1, 2008 § 416.140 Surveys. (a) Timing, purpose, and procedures. (1) No more often than once a year, CMS conducts a survey of a randomly selected sample of participating ASCs to collect data for analysis...

42 CFR 416.140 - Surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Surveys. 416.140 Section 416.140 Public Health... Furnished Before January 1, 2008 § 416.140 Surveys. (a) Timing, purpose, and procedures. (1) No more often than once a year, CMS conducts a survey of a randomly selected sample of participating ASCs to collect...

42 CFR 416.140 - Surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Surveys. 416.140 Section 416.140 Public Health... Furnished Before January 1, 2008 § 416.140 Surveys. (a) Timing, purpose, and procedures. (1) No more often than once a year, CMS conducts a survey of a randomly selected sample of participating ASCs to collect...

42 CFR 416.140 - Surveys.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Surveys. 416.140 Section 416.140 Public Health... January 1, 2008 § 416.140 Surveys. (a) Timing, purpose, and procedures. (1) No more often than once a year, CMS conducts a survey of a randomly selected sample of participating ASCs to collect data for analysis...

Pre-Survey Text Messages (SMS) Improve Participation Rate in an Australian Mobile Telephone Survey: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Dal Grande, Eleonora; Chittleborough, Catherine Ruth; Campostrini, Stefano; Dollard, Maureen; Taylor, Anne Winifred

2016-01-01

Mobile telephone numbers are increasingly being included in household surveys samples. As approach letters cannot be sent because many do not have address details, alternatives approaches have been considered. This study assesses the effectiveness of sending a short message service (SMS) to a random sample of mobile telephone numbers to increase response rates. A simple random sample of 9000 Australian mobile telephone numbers: 4500 were randomly assigned to be sent a pre-notification SMS, and the remaining 4500 did not have a SMS sent. Adults aged 18 years and over, and currently in paid employment, were eligible to participate. American Association for Public Opinion Research formulas were used to calculated response cooperation and refusal rates. Response and cooperation rate were higher for the SMS groups (12.4% and 28.6% respectively) than the group with no SMS (7.7% and 16.0%). Refusal rates were lower for the SMS group (27.3%) than the group with no SMS (35.9%). When asked, 85.8% of the pre-notification group indicated they remembered receiving a SMS about the study. Sending a pre-notification SMS is effective in improving participation in population-based surveys. Response rates were increased by 60% and cooperation rates by 79%.

45 CFR 5b.11 - Exempt systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Surveys Conduct in Random Samples of the U.S. Population; (B) The Health Manpower Inventories and Surveys... is exempt under subsection (k)(2) of the Act and the individual has been, as a result of the...

1979 Reserve Force Studies Surveys: Survey Design, Sample Design and Administrative Procedures,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

three factors: the need for a statistically significant number of usable questionnaires from different groups within the random sampls and from...Because of the multipurpose nature of these surveys and the large number of questions needed to fully address some of the topics covered, we...varies. Collection of data at the unit level is needed to accurately estimate actual reserve compensation and benefits and their possible role in both

Society Membership Survey: 1986 Salaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skelton, W. Keith; And Others

The fourth in a series of reports produced by the Education and Employment Statistics division of the American Insititute of Physics (AIP) is presented. Data are based on a stratified random sample survey of one-sixth of the U.S. and Canadian membership of the AIP member societies. In the spring of 1986, every individual in the sample received a…

Survey Research in Educational Administration: A Critical Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miskel, Cecil; Sandlin, Terry

In order to assess the methodological merit of the published research in educational administration based on surveys, the authors analyzed data from a random sample of 24 survey studies published in the "Education Administration Quarterly" and the "Journal of Educational Administration." Each article was evaluated according to…

Evaluation of bias and logistics in a survey of adults at increased risk for oral health decrements.

PubMed

Gilbert, G H; Duncan, R P; Kulley, A M; Coward, R T; Heft, M W

1997-01-01

Designing research to include sufficient respondents in groups at highest risk for oral health decrements can present unique challenges. Our purpose was to evaluate bias and logistics in this survey of adults at increased risk for oral health decrements. We used a telephone survey methodology that employed both listed numbers and random digit dialing to identify dentate persons 45 years old or older and to oversample blacks, poor persons, and residents of nonmetropolitan counties. At a second stage, a subsample of the respondents to the initial telephone screening was selected for further study, which consisted of a baseline in-person interview and a clinical examination. We assessed bias due to: (1) limiting the sample to households with telephones, (2) using predominantly listed numbers instead of random digit dialing, and (3) nonresponse at two stages of data collection. While this approach apparently created some biases in the sample, they were small in magnitude. Specifically, limiting the sample to households with telephones biased the sample overall toward more females, larger households, and fewer functionally impaired persons. Using predominantly listed numbers led to a modest bias toward selection of persons more likely to be younger, healthier, female, have had a recent dental visit, and reside in smaller households. Blacks who were selected randomly at a second stage were more likely to participate in baseline data gathering than their white counterparts. Comparisons of the data obtained in this survey with those from recent national surveys suggest that this methodology for sampling high-risk groups did not substantively bias the sample with respect to two important dental parameters, prevalence of edentulousness and dental care use, nor were conclusions about multivariate associations with dental care recency substantively affected. This method of sampling persons at high risk for oral health decrements resulted in only modest bias with respect to the population of interest.

Is a 'convenience' sample useful for estimating immunization coverage in a small population?

PubMed

Weir, Jean E; Jones, Carrie

2008-01-01

Rapid survey methodologies are widely used for assessing immunization coverage in developing countries, approximating true stratified random sampling. Non-random ('convenience') sampling is not considered appropriate for estimating immunization coverage rates but has the advantages of low cost and expediency. We assessed the validity of a convenience sample of children presenting to a travelling clinic by comparing the coverage rate in the convenience sample to the true coverage established by surveying each child in three villages in rural Papua New Guinea. The rate of DTF immunization coverage as estimated by the convenience sample was within 10% of the true coverage when the proportion of children in the sample was two-thirds or when only children over the age of one year were counted, but differed by 11% when the sample included only 53% of the children and when all eligible children were included. The convenience sample may be sufficiently accurate for reporting purposes and is useful for identifying areas of low coverage.

A stratified random survey of the proportion of poor quality oral artesunate sold at medicine outlets in the Lao PDR – implications for therapeutic failure and drug resistance

PubMed Central

Sengaloundeth, Sivong; Green, Michael D; Fernández, Facundo M; Manolin, Ot; Phommavong, Khamlieng; Insixiengmay, Vongsavanh; Hampton, Christina Y; Nyadong, Leonard; Mildenhall, Dallas C; Hostetler, Dana; Khounsaknalath, Lamphet; Vongsack, Latsamy; Phompida, Samlane; Vanisaveth, Viengxay; Syhakhang, Lamphone; Newton, Paul N

2009-01-01

Background Counterfeit oral artesunate has been a major public health problem in mainland SE Asia, impeding malaria control. A countrywide stratified random survey was performed to determine the availability and quality of oral artesunate in pharmacies and outlets (shops selling medicines) in the Lao PDR (Laos). Methods In 2003, 'mystery' shoppers were asked to buy artesunate tablets from 180 outlets in 12 of the 18 Lao provinces. Outlets were selected using stratified random sampling by investigators not involved in sampling. Samples were analysed for packaging characteristics, by the Fast Red Dye test, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS), X-ray diffractometry and pollen analysis. Results Of 180 outlets sampled, 25 (13.9%) sold oral artesunate. Outlets selling artesunate were more commonly found in the more malarious southern Laos. Of the 25 outlets, 22 (88%; 95%CI 68–97%) sold counterfeit artesunate, as defined by packaging and chemistry. No artesunate was detected in the counterfeits by any of the chemical analysis techniques and analysis of the packaging demonstrated seven different counterfeit types. There was complete agreement between the Fast Red dye test, HPLC and MS analysis. A wide variety of wrong active ingredients were found by MS. Of great concern, 4/27 (14.8%) fakes contained detectable amounts of artemisinin (0.26–115.7 mg/tablet). Conclusion This random survey confirms results from previous convenience surveys that counterfeit artesunate is a severe public health problem. The presence of artemisinin in counterfeits may encourage malaria resistance to artemisinin derivatives. With increasing accessibility of artemisinin-derivative combination therapy (ACT) in Laos, the removal of artesunate monotherapy from pharmacies may be an effective intervention. PMID:19638225

A stratified random survey of the proportion of poor quality oral artesunate sold at medicine outlets in the Lao PDR - implications for therapeutic failure and drug resistance.

PubMed

Sengaloundeth, Sivong; Green, Michael D; Fernández, Facundo M; Manolin, Ot; Phommavong, Khamlieng; Insixiengmay, Vongsavanh; Hampton, Christina Y; Nyadong, Leonard; Mildenhall, Dallas C; Hostetler, Dana; Khounsaknalath, Lamphet; Vongsack, Latsamy; Phompida, Samlane; Vanisaveth, Viengxay; Syhakhang, Lamphone; Newton, Paul N

2009-07-28

Counterfeit oral artesunate has been a major public health problem in mainland SE Asia, impeding malaria control. A countrywide stratified random survey was performed to determine the availability and quality of oral artesunate in pharmacies and outlets (shops selling medicines) in the Lao PDR (Laos). In 2003, 'mystery' shoppers were asked to buy artesunate tablets from 180 outlets in 12 of the 18 Lao provinces. Outlets were selected using stratified random sampling by investigators not involved in sampling. Samples were analysed for packaging characteristics, by the Fast Red Dye test, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS), X-ray diffractometry and pollen analysis. Of 180 outlets sampled, 25 (13.9%) sold oral artesunate. Outlets selling artesunate were more commonly found in the more malarious southern Laos. Of the 25 outlets, 22 (88%; 95%CI 68-97%) sold counterfeit artesunate, as defined by packaging and chemistry. No artesunate was detected in the counterfeits by any of the chemical analysis techniques and analysis of the packaging demonstrated seven different counterfeit types. There was complete agreement between the Fast Red dye test, HPLC and MS analysis. A wide variety of wrong active ingredients were found by MS. Of great concern, 4/27 (14.8%) fakes contained detectable amounts of artemisinin (0.26-115.7 mg/tablet). This random survey confirms results from previous convenience surveys that counterfeit artesunate is a severe public health problem. The presence of artemisinin in counterfeits may encourage malaria resistance to artemisinin derivatives. With increasing accessibility of artemisinin-derivative combination therapy (ACT) in Laos, the removal of artesunate monotherapy from pharmacies may be an effective intervention.

Teachers' Methodologies and Sources of Information on HIV/AIDS for Students with Visual Impairments in Selected Residential and Integrated Schools in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayford, Samuel K.; Ocansey, Frederick

2017-01-01

This study reports part of a national survey on sources of information, education and communication materials on HIV/AIDS available to students with visual impairments in residential, segregated, and integrated schools in Ghana. A multi-staged stratified random sampling procedure and a purposive and simple random sampling approach, where…

A randomized trial of survey participation in a national random sample of general practitioners and gynecologists in France.

PubMed

Legleye, S; Bohet, A; Razafindratsima, N; Bajos, N; Moreau, C

2014-08-01

Healthcare professionals play a critical role in women's choice of contraceptive methods. However, national surveys on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among physicians are rare and present low participation rates. We conducted a randomized trial to test for the effectiveness of three interventions to improve survey participation of private physicians delivering reproductive health services in France. The study comprised a national random sample of 500 general practitioners and 500 gynecologists working in private offices. All received a postal invitation to participate either by completing a paper, phone or online questionnaire. Physicians were randomly assigned to six groups to test for the effect of three interventions: a non-monetary incentive in the form of a scientific book, telephone contact, and the possibility of completing the questionnaire by phone. Overall, 362 questionnaires were collected (26 online, 2 by phone) and 58 physicians were ineligible. The completion rate increased from 26.7% in physicians who received no intervention to 42.7% in those who received the book and a phone call. The phone call increased the completion rate by 11% percentage points (P=0.01), while the book had no significant effect. Results from multivariate logistic regressions also indicate that gynecologists (OR=1.6) and female physicians (OR=1.5) were more likely to participate than others. The results suggest that phone calls substantially increase participation of physicians in sexual and reproductive health surveys but have little impact on sampling distortion. Differentials in response rates by physicians' characteristics should be considered in future SRH studies among physicians. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

45 CFR 5b.11 - Exempt systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Surveys Conduct in Random Samples of the U.S. Population; (B) The Health Manpower Inventories and Surveys...) of the Act and the individual has been, as a result of the maintenance of the record, denied a right...

45 CFR 5b.11 - Exempt systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Surveys Conduct in Random Samples of the U.S. Population; (B) The Health Manpower Inventories and Surveys...) of the Act and the individual has been, as a result of the maintenance of the record, denied a right...

Alcohol- and Drug-Involved Driving in the United States: Methodology for the 2007 National Roadside Survey

PubMed Central

Lacey, John H.; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Voas, Robert B.; Romano, Eduardo; Furr-Holden, C. Debra; Torres, Pedro; Berning, Amy

2013-01-01

This article describes the methodology used in the 2007 U.S. National Roadside Survey to estimate the prevalence of alcohol- and drug-impaired driving and alcohol- and drug-involved driving. This study involved randomly stopping drivers at 300 locations across the 48 continental U.S. states at sites selected through a stratified random sampling procedure. Data were collected during a 2-hour Friday daytime session at 60 locations and during 2-hour nighttime weekend periods at 240 locations. Both self-report and biological measures were taken. Biological measures included breath alcohol measurements from 9,413 respondents, oral fluid samples from 7,719 respondents, and blood samples from 3,276 respondents. PMID:21997324

School Nurses' Experiences with Medication Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Michael W.; McCarthy, Ann Marie; Mordhorst, Matthew J.

2003-01-01

This article reports school nurses' experiences with medication administration through qualitative analyses of a written survey and focus groups. From a random sample of 1,000 members of the National Association of School Nurses, 649 (64.9%) school nurses completed the survey. The quantitative data from the survey were presented previously.…

Cultural Participation in the Philadelphia Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanford, Terry; And Others

Described are the results of two separate surveys of cross-sections of the Philadelphia public concerning their cultural behavior, attitudes, and perceptions. The more recent survey was conducted in 1984 with a random telephone sample of 404 Philadelphia residents. The other survey consisted of a subset of approximately 400 Philadelphia area…

APPLICATION OF A MULTIPURPOSE UNEQUAL-PROBABILITY STREAM SURVEY IN THE MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN

EPA Science Inventory

A stratified random sample with unequal-probability selection was used to design a multipurpose survey of headwater streams in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Objectives for data from the survey include unbiased estimates of regional stream conditions, and adequate coverage of un...

Accreditation Surveys: Faculty & Staff and Student, Spring 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meuschke, Daylene M.; Gribbons, Barry C.; Dixon, P. Scott

The Office of Institutional Development and Technology (IDT), in cooperation with regional accreditation committees, surveyed faculty and staff and a random sample of students at the College of the Canyons, California, in spring 2002. The purpose of the survey was to gather information useful to college staff in preparing their accreditation…

Parents of Children with Severe Special Needs Survey. Survey Summary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The 2007/2008 Parents of Children with Severe Special Needs Survey is conducted to obtain opinions from parents of children with severe special needs to assess their satisfaction with key areas of the education system. A random sample of 816 parents of children with severe special needs completed the survey. Severe special needs descriptions…

Address-based versus random-digit-dial surveys: comparison of key health and risk indicators.

PubMed

Link, Michael W; Battaglia, Michael P; Frankel, Martin R; Osborn, Larry; Mokdad, Ali H

2006-11-15

Use of random-digit dialing (RDD) for conducting health surveys is increasingly problematic because of declining participation rates and eroding frame coverage. Alternative survey modes and sampling frames may improve response rates and increase the validity of survey estimates. In a 2005 pilot study conducted in six states as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the authors administered a mail survey to selected household members sampled from addresses in a US Postal Service database. The authors compared estimates based on data from the completed mail surveys (n = 3,010) with those from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone surveys (n = 18,780). The mail survey data appeared reasonably complete, and estimates based on data from the two survey modes were largely equivalent. Differences found, such as differences in the estimated prevalences of binge drinking (mail = 20.3%, telephone = 13.1%) or behaviors linked to human immunodeficiency virus transmission (mail = 7.1%, telephone = 4.2%), were consistent with previous research showing that, for questions about sensitive behaviors, self-administered surveys generally produce higher estimates than interviewer-administered surveys. The mail survey also provided access to cell-phone-only households and households without telephones, which cannot be reached by means of standard RDD surveys.

Occurrence and temporal variability of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and other volatile organic compounds in select sources of drinking water : results of the focused survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delzer, Gregory C.; Ivahnenko, Tamara

2003-01-01

The large-scale use of the gasoline oxygenate methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and its high solubility, low soil adsorption, and low biodegradability, has resulted in its detection in ground water and surface water in many places throughout the United States. Studies by numerous researchers, as well as many State and local environmental agencies, have discovered high levels of MTBE in soils and ground water at leaking underground gasoline-storage-tank sites and frequent occurrence of low to intermediate levels of MTBE in reservoirs used for both public water supply and recreational boating.In response to these findings, the American Water Works Association Research Foundation sponsored an investigation of MTBE and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Nation's sources of drinking water. The goal of the investigation was to provide additional information on the frequency of occurrence, concentration, and temporal variability of MTBE and other VOCs in source water used by community water systems (CWSs). The investigation was completed in two stages: (1) reviews of available literature and (2) the collection of new data. Two surveys were associated with the collection of new data. The first, termed the Random Survey, employed a statistically stratified design for sampling source water from 954 randomly selected CWSs. The second, which is the focus of this report, is termed the Focused Survey, which included samples collected from 134 CWS source waters, including ground water, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and streams, that were suspected or known to contain MTBE. The general intent of the Focused Survey was to compare results with the Random Survey and provide an improved understanding of the occurrence, concentration, temporal variability, and anthropogenic factors associated with frequently detected VOCs. Each sample collected was analyzed for 66 VOCs, including MTBE and three other ether gasoline oxygenates (hereafter termed gasoline oxygenates). As part of the Focused Survey, 451 source-water samples and 744 field quality-control (QC) samples were collected from 78 ground-water, 39 reservoir and (or) lake, and 17 river and (or) stream source waters at fixed intervals for a period of 1 year.Using a common assessment level of 0.2 μg/L (micrograms per liter) (2.0 μg/L for methyl ethyl ketone), 37 of the 66 VOCs analyzed were detected in both surveys. However, VOCs, especially MTBE and other gasoline oxygenates, were detected more frequently in the Focused Survey than in the Random Survey. MTBE was detected in 55.5 percent of the CWSs sampled in the Focused Survey and in 8.7 percent of those sampled in the Random Survey. Little difference in occurrence, however, was observed for trihalomethanes (THMs), which were detected in 16.4 and 14.8 percent of Focused Survey and Random Survey CWSs, respectively. This may indicate a pervasive occurrence of THMs in several source-water types, regardless of CWS size or geographic location.Using data at or above the method detection limit to assess temporal variability and anthropogenic factors associated with frequent detection of select VOCs, concentrations in the Focused Survey in ground-water, reservoir, and river source waters were typically less than 1 μg/L. Also, at a 95-percent confidence interval, no statistically significant differences were observed in comparing concentrations in the first and second ground-water sample. A weak seasonal pattern was observed in samples collected from reservoirs and lakes where gasoline oxygenates and other gasoline compounds were detected more frequently during spring and summer, presumedly a result of increased use of motorized watercraft during these seasons. In contrast, seasonal patterns were not observed in samples collected from rivers and streams. The lack of seasonal differences in river and stream source waters sampled may indicate a common and continuous source of contamination.The most frequently detected VOC (MTBE) and the two most frequently occurring subgroups of VOCs (gasoline oxygenates and THMs) detected in CWS source waters were further characterized to evaluate some anthropogenic factors that may better explain their frequent occurrence. Gasoline oxygenates were detected in 73.9 percent of all CWSs sampled. The concentration of gasoline oxygenates was slightly correlated with watercraft use on reservoirs inside MTBE high-use areas (r2=0.3783) but not outside of these areas (r2=0.0242). In general, the concentration of gasoline oxygenates increased as watercraft use increased. THMs were detected in 47.8 percent of the CWSs supplied by surface water. The frequent occurrence of THMs in reservoir source waters was determined to be an artifact of disinfection and the recycling of chlorinated water to these reservoirs. All CWSs with frequent occurrence of THMs served by a reservoir indicated that chlorine was added to waters for various reasons and that the chlorinated water was then released back to,or upstream of, the reservoir or lake that was sampled.

Sampling error in timber surveys

Treesearch

Austin Hasel

1938-01-01

Various sampling strategies are evaluated for efficiency in an interior ponderosa pine forest. In a 5760 acre tract, efficiency was gained by stratifying into quarter acre blocks and sampling randomly from within. A systematic cruise was found to be superior for volume estimation.

The Effect of Cluster Sampling Design in Survey Research on the Standard Error Statistic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lin; Fan, Xitao

Standard statistical methods are used to analyze data that is assumed to be collected using a simple random sampling scheme. These methods, however, tend to underestimate variance when the data is collected with a cluster design, which is often found in educational survey research. The purposes of this paper are to demonstrate how a cluster design…

Increasing the Precision of Estimates in Follow-Up Surveys: A Case Study. AIR 1983 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Sheldon B.; Nichols, James O.

Survey data concerning teacher education program graduates were used to demonstrate the advantages of a stratified random sampling approach, with followup, relative to a one-shot mailing to an entire population. Sampling issues involved in such an approach are addressed, particularly with regard to quantifying the effects of nonresponse on the…

Quantitative Research on the Outcomes of China's Inland Tibetan Classes and Schools Policy: A Survey of Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiaorong, Wu

2015-01-01

Under the Inland Tibetan Classes and Schools Policy, China has trained a large number of personnel to facilitate the social, economic, and cultural development of Tibet. This study used a multistage, random sample survey to collect data on the comprehensive qualities of two sample groups of personnel in Tibet: graduates and nongraduates of inland…

Occupational Stress in Secondary Education in Cyprus: Causes, Symptoms, Consequences and Stress Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadjisymeou, Georgia

2010-01-01

The survey attempted to look into the causes, symptoms and consequences that occupational stress has on teachers in Secondary Education in Cyprus and find ways to manage it. Thirty eight schools with 553 teachers participated in the survey. The sample chosen is a result of a simple random sampling and it is representative of the country's…

Occurrence and temporal variability of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and other volatile organic compounds in select sources of drinking water : results of the focused survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delzer, Gregory C.; Ivahnenko, Tamara

2003-01-01

The large-scale use of the gasoline oxygenate methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and its high solubility, low soil adsorption, and low biodegradability, has resulted in its detection in ground water and surface water in many places throughout the United States. Studies by numerous researchers, as well as many State and local environmental agencies, have discovered high levels of MTBE in soils and ground water at leaking underground gasoline-storage-tank sites and frequent occurrence of low to intermediate levels of MTBE in reservoirs used for both public water supply and recreational boating.In response to these findings, the American Water Works Association Research Foundation sponsored an investigation of MTBE and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Nation?s sources of drinking water. The goal of the investigation was to provide additional information on the frequency of occurrence, concentration, and temporal variability of MTBE and other VOCs in source water used by community water systems (CWSs). The investigation was completed in two stages: (1) reviews of available literature and (2) the collection of new data. Two surveys were associated with the collection of new data. The first, termed the Random Survey, employed a statistically stratified design for sampling source water from 954 randomly selected CWSs. The second, which is the focus of this report, is termed the Focused Survey, which included samples collected from 134 CWS source waters, including ground water, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and streams, that were suspected or known to contain MTBE. The general intent of the Focused Survey was to compare results with the Random Survey and provide an improved understanding of the occurrence, concentration, temporal variability, and anthropogenic factors associated with frequently detected VOCs. Each sample collected was analyzed for 66 VOCs, including MTBE and three other ether gasoline oxygenates (hereafter termed gasoline oxygenates). As part of the Focused Survey, 451 source-water samples and 744 field quality-control (QC) samples were collected from 78 ground-water, 39 reservoir and (or) lake, and 17 river and (or) stream source waters at fixed intervals for a period of 1 year.Using a common assessment level of 0.2 ?g/L (micrograms per liter) (2.0 ?g/L for methyl ethyl ketone), 37 of the 66 VOCs analyzed were detected in both surveys. However, VOCs, especially MTBE and other gasoline oxygenates, were detected more frequently in the Focused Survey than in the Random Survey. MTBE was detected in 55.5 percent of the CWSs sampled in the Focused Survey and in 8.7 percent of those sampled in the Random Survey. Little difference in occurrence, however, was observed for trihalomethanes (THMs), which were detected in 16.4 and 14.8 percent of Focused Survey and The large-scale use of the gasoline oxygenate methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), and its high solubility, low soil adsorption, and low biodegradability, has resulted in its detection in ground water and surface water in many places throughout the United States. Studies by numerous researchers, as well as many State and local environmental agencies, have discovered high levels of MTBE in soils and ground water at leaking underground gasoline-storage-tank sites and frequent occurrence of low to intermediate levels of MTBE in reservoirs used for both public water supply and recreational boating.In response to these findings, the American Water Works Association Research Foundation sponsored an investigation of MTBE and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the Nation?s sources of drinking water. The goal of the investigation was to provide additional information on the frequency of occurrence, concentration, and temporal variability of MTBE and other VOCs in source water used by community water systems (CWSs). The investigation was completed in two stages: (1) reviews of available literature and (2) the collection of new data. Two surveys wer

CTEPP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR TELEPHONE SAMPLE SUBJECTS RECRUITMENT (SOP-1.12)

EPA Science Inventory

The subject recruitment procedures for the telephone sample component are described in the SOP. A random telephone sample list is ordered from a commercial survey sampling firm. Using this list, introductory letters are sent to targeted homes prior to making initial telephone c...

75 FR 14633 - Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Extend and Revise a Current Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-26

... expansion of the survey to better reflect the current state of academic R&D. The redesigned survey was renamed the Higher Education R&D Survey and was pilot tested with a random sample of 40 institutions... proposed project will continue the annual survey cycle for three years. The FY 2010 Higher Education R&D...

An Exploratory Survey of Teachers' Attitudes toward Sex-Stereotyping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minix, Nancy A.; And Others

This survey examined the attitudes of teachers in southwestern Kentucky toward sex-stereotyping in the classroom. A random sample of 35 teachers of grades kindergarten through adult completed a written survey instrument that asked them to read statements regarding sex-stereotyping and to rate themselves regarding their own classroom practices.…

Using a Calendar and Explanatory Instructions to Aid Within-Household Selection in Mail Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stange, Mathew; Smyth, Jolene D.; Olson, Kristen

2016-01-01

Although researchers can easily select probability samples of addresses using the U.S. Postal Service's Delivery Sequence File, randomly selecting respondents within households for surveys remains challenging. Researchers often place within-household selection instructions, such as the next or last birthday methods, in survey cover letters to…

78 FR 20320 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-04

...: select from for a random sample, get the survey to the appropriate respondent, and increase response rates. The survey will not be added to this package; instead, it will be processed under a different... Medicaid Services is requesting clearance for two surveys to aid in understanding levels of awareness and...

Workforce Improvement Network 2000 Survey of Virginia Employers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foucar-Szocki, Diane; Bolt, Les

A stratified random sample of Virginia's 4,000 employers with over 100 employees was surveyed about workplace-based foundational basic skills (oral and written communication, reading, math, thinking skills, teamwork, English proficiency, and basic computer literacy). A total of 446 surveys were sent with a usable response rate of 18 percent.…

Factors Influencing Federal Employee Worker Satisfaction: A Baseline Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Wallace V.; And Others

Utilizing data from the Federal Employee Attitude Survey, 1979, a survey was distributed to a stratified random sample of 20,000 employees to identify and analyze the factors influencing federal employee worker satisfaction. Questions on the survey ranged from demographics to personal evaluations of the work environment as recorded on a…

An Analysis of Employee Skills Required by Employers in Wyoming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Mary; And Others

A survey of 177 employers of Wyoming vocational education graduates sought to identify skills and competencies the graduates needed. A random sample of 525 businesses both Wyoming-based and foreign (home-based outside of Wyoming) were mailed surveys; 267 survey forms were returned, but only 177 provided data for analysis. Findings indicated that…

Geochemical surveys in the United States in relation to health.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tourtelot, H.A.

1979-01-01

Geochemical surveys in relation to health may be classified as having one, two or three dimensions. One-dimensional surveys examine relations between concentrations of elements such as Pb in soils and other media and burdens of the same elements in humans, at a given time. The spatial distributions of element concentrations are not investigated. The primary objective of two-dimensional surveys is to map the distributions of element concentrations, commonly according to stratified random sampling designs based on either conceptual landscape units or artificial sampling strata, but systematic sampling intervals have also been used. Political units have defined sample areas that coincide with the units used to accumulate epidemiological data. Element concentrations affected by point sources have also been mapped. Background values, location of natural or technological anomalies and the geographic scale of variation for several elements often are determined. Three-dimensional surveys result when two-dimensional surveys are repeated to detect environmental changes. -Author

Survey of rural, private wells. Statistical design

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mehnert, Edward; Schock, Susan C.; ,

1991-01-01

Half of Illinois' 38 million acres were planted in corn and soybeans in 1988. On the 19 million acres planted in corn and soybeans, approximately 1 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer and 50 million pounds of pesticides were applied. Because groundwater is the water supply for over 90 percent of rural Illinois, the occurrence of agricultural chemicals in groundwater in Illinois is of interest to the agricultural community, the public, and regulatory agencies. The occurrence of agricultural chemicals in groundwater is well documented. However, the extent of this contamination still needs to be defined. This can be done by randomly sampling wells across a geographic area. Key elements of a random, water-well sampling program for regional groundwater quality include the overall statistical design of the program, definition of the sample population, selection of wells to be sampled, and analysis of survey results. These elements must be consistent with the purpose for conducting the program; otherwise, the program will not provide the desired information. The need to carefully design and conduct a sampling program becomes readily apparent when one considers the high cost of collecting and analyzing a sample. For a random sampling program conducted in Illinois, the key elements, as well as the limitations imposed by available information, are described.

An Assessment of the Need for Development of the McCook Community College Alumni Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Ford M.

To provide the administration with a better sense of direction regarding the ongoing development of the college's alumni organization, a mail survey was conducted of a random sample of 200 McCook Community College (MCC), Nebraska, alumni. After a series of follow-up telephone calls, usable surveys were obtained for 65.5% of the sample (N=131).…

Santa Clara County Survey of Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use among Students in Grades 5, 7, 9, 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Constantine, Norm; And Others

This report presents findings from the Santa Clara County (California) survey of Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use among Students in Grades 5, 7, 9, and 11 administered during the spring of 1991 to 5,180 students in 51 randomly selected county schools. An executive summary discusses sampling error, sample demographics, and findings on drug use…

Space-Time Smoothing of Complex Survey Data: Small Area Estimation for Child Mortality.

PubMed

Mercer, Laina D; Wakefield, Jon; Pantazis, Athena; Lutambi, Angelina M; Masanja, Honorati; Clark, Samuel

2015-12-01

Many people living in low and middle-income countries are not covered by civil registration and vital statistics systems. Consequently, a wide variety of other types of data including many household sample surveys are used to estimate health and population indicators. In this paper we combine data from sample surveys and demographic surveillance systems to produce small area estimates of child mortality through time. Small area estimates are necessary to understand geographical heterogeneity in health indicators when full-coverage vital statistics are not available. For this endeavor spatio-temporal smoothing is beneficial to alleviate problems of data sparsity. The use of conventional hierarchical models requires careful thought since the survey weights may need to be considered to alleviate bias due to non-random sampling and non-response. The application that motivated this work is estimation of child mortality rates in five-year time intervals in regions of Tanzania. Data come from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted over the period 1991-2010 and two demographic surveillance system sites. We derive a variance estimator of under five years child mortality that accounts for the complex survey weighting. For our application, the hierarchical models we consider include random effects for area, time and survey and we compare models using a variety of measures including the conditional predictive ordinate (CPO). The method we propose is implemented via the fast and accurate integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA).

National occupant protection use survey : controlled intersection detailed study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-02-01

In late 1994, NHTSA conducted the first National Occupant Protection Use Survey : (NOPUS). Shoulder belt use was observed at a random sample of sites across the : country for drivers and right-front passengers of cars and light trucks. In one : porti...

A topological analysis of large-scale structure, studied using the CMASS sample of SDSS-III

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parihar, Prachi; Gott, J. Richard III; Vogeley, Michael S.

2014-12-01

We study the three-dimensional genus topology of large-scale structure using the northern region of the CMASS Data Release 10 (DR10) sample of the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. We select galaxies with redshift 0.452 < z < 0.625 and with a stellar mass M {sub stellar} > 10{sup 11.56} M {sub ☉}. We study the topology at two smoothing lengths: R {sub G} = 21 h {sup –1} Mpc and R {sub G} = 34 h {sup –1} Mpc. The genus topology studied at the R {sub G} = 21 h {sup –1} Mpc scale results in the highest genusmore » amplitude observed to date. The CMASS sample yields a genus curve that is characteristic of one produced by Gaussian random phase initial conditions. The data thus support the standard model of inflation where random quantum fluctuations in the early universe produced Gaussian random phase initial conditions. Modest deviations in the observed genus from random phase are as expected from shot noise effects and the nonlinear evolution of structure. We suggest the use of a fitting formula motivated by perturbation theory to characterize the shift and asymmetries in the observed genus curve with a single parameter. We construct 54 mock SDSS CMASS surveys along the past light cone from the Horizon Run 3 (HR3) N-body simulations, where gravitationally bound dark matter subhalos are identified as the sites of galaxy formation. We study the genus topology of the HR3 mock surveys with the same geometry and sampling density as the observational sample and find the observed genus topology to be consistent with ΛCDM as simulated by the HR3 mock samples. We conclude that the topology of the large-scale structure in the SDSS CMASS sample is consistent with cosmological models having primordial Gaussian density fluctuations growing in accordance with general relativity to form galaxies in massive dark matter halos.« less

The patient safety climate in healthcare organizations (PSCHO) survey: Short-form development.

PubMed

Benzer, Justin K; Meterko, Mark; Singer, Sara J

2017-08-01

Measures of safety climate are increasingly used to guide safety improvement initiatives. However, cost and respondent burden may limit the use of safety climate surveys. The purpose of this study was to develop a 15- to 20-item safety climate survey based on the Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations survey, a well-validated 38-item measure of safety climate. The Patient Safety Climate in Healthcare Organizations was administered to all senior managers, all physicians, and a 10% random sample of all other hospital personnel in 69 private sector hospitals and 30 Veterans Health Administration hospitals. Both samples were randomly divided into a derivation sample to identify a short-form subset and a confirmation sample to assess the psychometric properties of the proposed short form. The short form consists of 15 items represented 3 overarching domains in the long-form scale-organization, work unit, and interpersonal. The proposed short form efficiently captures 3 important sources of variance in safety climate: organizational, work-unit, and interpersonal. The short-form development process was a practical method that can be applied to other safety climate surveys. This safety climate short form may increase response rates in studies that involve busy clinicians or repeated measures. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A Survey of Student Reactions to Waubonsee Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vojtisek, James R.

In order to gain an overall view of student attitudes toward Waubonsee Community College (WCC), determine the strong and weak aspects of WCC, and provide a data base for later comparisons, a standard Educational Testing Service survey instrument was administered to a random sample of about 650 WCC students. The survey instrument used was Student…

KOCE-TV Needs-Assessment Surveys: Audience Analysis Telephone Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teraz, Carol E.; Ruth, Monty W.

A random sample of 3,847 residents of Orange County (California) were contacted during fall 1974 for the purposes of assessing the county's public television (PBS) viewing habits and the general awareness of and interest in televised courses for credit. This survey, conducted in the interest of KOCE, a public UHF station owned and operated by the…

Understanding Sample Surveys: Selective Learning about Social Science Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currin-Percival, Mary; Johnson, Martin

2010-01-01

We investigate differences in what students learn about survey methodology in a class on public opinion presented in two critically different ways: with the inclusion or exclusion of an original research project using a random-digit-dial telephone survey. Using a quasi-experimental design and data obtained from pretests and posttests in two public…

Voices of Experience: Educators Speak Out for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crone-Koshel, Linda; Margolin, Arnie

A state survey examined the opinions of West Virginia educators about the educational system and needs for educational reform. Surveys were sent to 182 recognized educators (those receiving awards in the past 10 years), all 55 superintendents, and a random sample of 1,000 teachers and 41 principals. A total of 384 surveys were returned. Followup…

Needs and Concerns of Women in AACD: Preliminary Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thoreson, Richard W.; And Others

This study examined characteristics of female members of the American Association of Counseling and Development (AACD). A random sample of 1000 female members of AACD was surveyed, with a response rate of 12.1 percent of 121 surveys completed and returned. A questionnaire, the Female Counselor Survey, was developed to gather data on demographics,…

Crime victimization in adults with severe mental illness: comparison with the National Crime Victimization Survey.

PubMed

Teplin, Linda A; McClelland, Gary M; Abram, Karen M; Weiner, Dana A

2005-08-01

Since deinstitutionalization, most persons with severe mental illness (SMI) now live in the community, where they are at great risk for crime victimization. To determine the prevalence and incidence of crime victimization among persons with SMI by sex, race/ethnicity, and age, and to compare rates with general population data (the National Crime Victimization Survey), controlling for income and demographic differences between the samples. Epidemiologic study of persons in treatment. Independent master's-level clinical research interviewers administered the National Crime Victimization Survey to randomly selected patients sampled from 16 randomly selected mental health agencies. Sixteen agencies providing outpatient, day, and residential treatment to persons with SMI in Chicago, Ill. Randomly selected, stratified sample of 936 patients aged 18 or older (483 men, 453 women) who were African American (n = 329), non-Hispanic white (n = 321), Hispanic (n = 270), or other race/ethnicity (n = 22). The comparison group comprised 32 449 participants in the National Crime Victimization Survey. National Crime Victimization Survey, developed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. More than one quarter of persons with SMI had been victims of a violent crime in the past year, a rate more than 11 times higher than the general population rates even after controlling for demographic differences between the 2 samples (P<.001). The annual incidence of violent crime in the SMI sample (168.2 incidents per 1000 persons) is more than 4 times higher than the general population rates (39.9 incidents per 1000 persons) (P<.001). Depending on the type of violent crime (rape/sexual assault, robbery, assault, and their subcategories), prevalence was 6 to 23 times greater among persons with SMI than among the general population. Crime victimization is a major public health problem among persons with SMI who are treated in the community. We recommend directions for future research, propose modifications in public policy, and suggest how the mental health system can respond to reduce victimization and its consequences.

The Influence of Mark-Recapture Sampling Effort on Estimates of Rock Lobster Survival

PubMed Central

Kordjazi, Ziya; Frusher, Stewart; Buxton, Colin; Gardner, Caleb; Bird, Tomas

2016-01-01

Five annual capture-mark-recapture surveys on Jasus edwardsii were used to evaluate the effect of sample size and fishing effort on the precision of estimated survival probability. Datasets of different numbers of individual lobsters (ranging from 200 to 1,000 lobsters) were created by random subsampling from each annual survey. This process of random subsampling was also used to create 12 datasets of different levels of effort based on three levels of the number of traps (15, 30 and 50 traps per day) and four levels of the number of sampling-days (2, 4, 6 and 7 days). The most parsimonious Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) model for estimating survival probability shifted from a constant model towards sex-dependent models with increasing sample size and effort. A sample of 500 lobsters or 50 traps used on four consecutive sampling-days was required for obtaining precise survival estimations for males and females, separately. Reduced sampling effort of 30 traps over four sampling days was sufficient if a survival estimate for both sexes combined was sufficient for management of the fishery. PMID:26990561

American Healthy Homes Survey: A National Study of Residential Pesticides Measured from Floor Wipes.

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with the United States Environmental Protection Agency conducted a survey measuring lead, allergens, and insecticides in a randomly selected nationally representative sample of resodential homes. Multistage sa...

Point of data saturation was assessed using resampling methods in a survey with open-ended questions.

PubMed

Tran, Viet-Thi; Porcher, Raphael; Falissard, Bruno; Ravaud, Philippe

2016-12-01

To describe methods to determine sample sizes in surveys using open-ended questions and to assess how resampling methods can be used to determine data saturation in these surveys. We searched the literature for surveys with open-ended questions and assessed the methods used to determine sample size in 100 studies selected at random. Then, we used Monte Carlo simulations on data from a previous study on the burden of treatment to assess the probability of identifying new themes as a function of the number of patients recruited. In the literature, 85% of researchers used a convenience sample, with a median size of 167 participants (interquartile range [IQR] = 69-406). In our simulation study, the probability of identifying at least one new theme for the next included subject was 32%, 24%, and 12% after the inclusion of 30, 50, and 100 subjects, respectively. The inclusion of 150 participants at random resulted in the identification of 92% themes (IQR = 91-93%) identified in the original study. In our study, data saturation was most certainly reached for samples >150 participants. Our method may be used to determine when to continue the study to find new themes or stop because of futility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating cost-efficiency and accuracy of hunter harvest survey designs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lukacs, P.M.; Gude, J.A.; Russell, R.E.; Ackerman, B.B.

2011-01-01

Effective management of harvested wildlife often requires accurate estimates of the number of animals harvested annually by hunters. A variety of techniques exist to obtain harvest data, such as hunter surveys, check stations, mandatory reporting requirements, and voluntary reporting of harvest. Agencies responsible for managing harvested wildlife such as deer (Odocoileus spp.), elk (Cervus elaphus), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are challenged with balancing the cost of data collection versus the value of the information obtained. We compared precision, bias, and relative cost of several common strategies, including hunter self-reporting and random sampling, for estimating hunter harvest using a realistic set of simulations. Self-reporting with a follow-up survey of hunters who did not report produces the best estimate of harvest in terms of precision and bias, but it is also, by far, the most expensive technique. Self-reporting with no followup survey risks very large bias in harvest estimates, and the cost increases with increased response rate. Probability-based sampling provides a substantial cost savings, though accuracy can be affected by nonresponse bias. We recommend stratified random sampling with a calibration estimator used to reweight the sample based on the proportions of hunters responding in each covariate category as the best option for balancing cost and accuracy. ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Assessing differences in groups randomized by recruitment chain in a respondent-driven sample of Seattle-area injection drug users.

PubMed

Burt, Richard D; Thiede, Hanne

2014-11-01

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a form of peer-based study recruitment and analysis that incorporates features designed to limit and adjust for biases in traditional snowball sampling. It is being widely used in studies of hidden populations. We report an empirical evaluation of RDS's consistency and variability, comparing groups recruited contemporaneously, by identical methods and using identical survey instruments. We randomized recruitment chains from the RDS-based 2012 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance survey of injection drug users in the Seattle area into two groups and compared them in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, drug-associated risk behaviors, sexual risk behaviors, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and HIV testing frequency. The two groups differed in five of the 18 variables examined (P ≤ .001): race (e.g., 60% white vs. 47%), gender (52% male vs. 67%), area of residence (32% downtown Seattle vs. 44%), an HIV test in the previous 12 months (51% vs. 38%). The difference in serologic HIV status was particularly pronounced (4% positive vs. 18%). In four further randomizations, differences in one to five variables attained this level of significance, although the specific variables involved differed. We found some material differences between the randomized groups. Although the variability of the present study was less than has been reported in serial RDS surveys, these findings indicate caution in the interpretation of RDS results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sampling guidelines for oral fluid-based surveys of group-housed animals.

PubMed

Rotolo, Marisa L; Sun, Yaxuan; Wang, Chong; Giménez-Lirola, Luis; Baum, David H; Gauger, Phillip C; Harmon, Karen M; Hoogland, Marlin; Main, Rodger; Zimmerman, Jeffrey J

2017-09-01

Formulas and software for calculating sample size for surveys based on individual animal samples are readily available. However, sample size formulas are not available for oral fluids and other aggregate samples that are increasingly used in production settings. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop sampling guidelines for oral fluid-based porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) surveys in commercial swine farms. Oral fluid samples were collected in 9 weekly samplings from all pens in 3 barns on one production site beginning shortly after placement of weaned pigs. Samples (n=972) were tested by real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-rtPCR) and the binary results analyzed using a piecewise exponential survival model for interval-censored, time-to-event data with misclassification. Thereafter, simulation studies were used to study the barn-level probability of PRRSV detection as a function of sample size, sample allocation (simple random sampling vs fixed spatial sampling), assay diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, and pen-level prevalence. These studies provided estimates of the probability of detection by sample size and within-barn prevalence. Detection using fixed spatial sampling was as good as, or better than, simple random sampling. Sampling multiple barns on a site increased the probability of detection with the number of barns sampled. These results are relevant to PRRSV control or elimination projects at the herd, regional, or national levels, but the results are also broadly applicable to contagious pathogens of swine for which oral fluid tests of equivalent performance are available. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Study on correction of data bias caused by different missing mechanisms in survey of medical expenditure among students enrolling in Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance].

PubMed

Zhang, Haixia; Zhao, Junkang; Gu, Caijiao; Cui, Yan; Rong, Huiying; Meng, Fanlong; Wang, Tong

2015-05-01

The study of the medical expenditure and its influencing factors among the students enrolling in Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) in Taiyuan indicated that non response bias and selection bias coexist in dependent variable of the survey data. Unlike previous studies only focused on one missing mechanism, a two-stage method to deal with two missing mechanisms simultaneously was suggested in this study, combining multiple imputation with sample selection model. A total of 1 190 questionnaires were returned by the students (or their parents) selected in child care settings, schools and universities in Taiyuan by stratified cluster random sampling in 2012. In the returned questionnaires, 2.52% existed not missing at random (NMAR) of dependent variable and 7.14% existed missing at random (MAR) of dependent variable. First, multiple imputation was conducted for MAR by using completed data, then sample selection model was used to correct NMAR in multiple imputation, and a multi influencing factor analysis model was established. Based on 1 000 times resampling, the best scheme of filling the random missing values is the predictive mean matching (PMM) method under the missing proportion. With this optimal scheme, a two stage survey was conducted. Finally, it was found that the influencing factors on annual medical expenditure among the students enrolling in URBMI in Taiyuan included population group, annual household gross income, affordability of medical insurance expenditure, chronic disease, seeking medical care in hospital, seeking medical care in community health center or private clinic, hospitalization, hospitalization canceled due to certain reason, self medication and acceptable proportion of self-paid medical expenditure. The two-stage method combining multiple imputation with sample selection model can deal with non response bias and selection bias effectively in dependent variable of the survey data.

PubMed Central

King-Shier, Kathryn M; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Musto, Richard; Quan, Hude

2014-01-01

Background: Francophones who live outside the primarily French-speaking province of Quebec, Canada, risk being excluded from research by lack of a sampling frame. We examined the adequacy of random sampling, advertising, and respondent-driven sampling for recruitment of francophones for survey research. Methods: We recruited francophones residing in the city of Calgary, Alberta, through advertising and respondentdriven sampling. These 2 samples were then compared with a random subsample of Calgary francophones derived from the 2006 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). We assessed the effectiveness of advertising and respondent-driven sampling in relation to the CCHS sample by comparing demographic characteristics and selected items from the CCHS (specifically self-reported general health status, perceived weight, and having a family doctor). Results: We recruited 120 francophones through advertising and 145 through respondent-driven sampling; the random sample from the CCHS consisted of 259 records. The samples derived from advertising and respondentdriven sampling differed from the CCHS in terms of age (mean ages 41.0, 37.6, and 42.5 years, respectively), sex (proportion of males 26.1%, 40.6%, and 56.6%, respectively), education (college or higher 86.7% , 77.9% , and 59.1%, respectively), place of birth (immigrants accounting for 45.8%, 55.2%, and 3.7%, respectively), and not having a regular medical doctor (16.7%, 34.5%, and 16.6%, respectively). Differences were not tested statistically because of limitations on the analysis of CCHS data imposed by Statistics Canada. Interpretation: The samples generated exclusively through advertising and respondent-driven sampling were not representative of the gold standard sample from the CCHS. Use of such biased samples for research studies could generate misleading results. PMID:25426180

American Healthy Homes Survey: A National Study of Residential Phthalates Measured from Floor Wipes

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), conducted a survey measuring phthalates in randomly selected residential homes throughout the U.S. Multistage sampling with clustering w...

Factors Affecting Retirement Attitude among Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Wan-Chen; Chiang, Chia-Hsun; Chuang, Hsueh-Hua

2015-01-01

This study investigated the relationships of teacher efficacy, perceived organizational control, and the teacher-student age gap with teachers' retirement attitudes. Stratified random sampling was adopted to collect survey responses. A total of 498 valid surveys from 33 elementary schools were collected. Correlational analyses revealed significant…

Community College Employee Wellness Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton, L. Jay; Johnson, Sharon

2010-01-01

This paper describes the prevalence and characteristics of employee wellness programs in public community colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). A random sample of 250 public community colleges accredited by SACS was mailed a 46-item employee-wellness program survey. The survey solicited program information…

1973 U.S. national roadside breathtesting survey : procedures and results

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-10-01

Author's abstract: This first U.S. national roadside breathtesting survey was conducted at 185 roadside locations in 18 states. Random samples of 3,698 motorists were stopped between 10PM and 3AM on eight weekends in the fall of 1973. From these driv...

Random walks and diffusion on networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masuda, Naoki; Porter, Mason A.; Lambiotte, Renaud

2017-11-01

Random walks are ubiquitous in the sciences, and they are interesting from both theoretical and practical perspectives. They are one of the most fundamental types of stochastic processes; can be used to model numerous phenomena, including diffusion, interactions, and opinions among humans and animals; and can be used to extract information about important entities or dense groups of entities in a network. Random walks have been studied for many decades on both regular lattices and (especially in the last couple of decades) on networks with a variety of structures. In the present article, we survey the theory and applications of random walks on networks, restricting ourselves to simple cases of single and non-adaptive random walkers. We distinguish three main types of random walks: discrete-time random walks, node-centric continuous-time random walks, and edge-centric continuous-time random walks. We first briefly survey random walks on a line, and then we consider random walks on various types of networks. We extensively discuss applications of random walks, including ranking of nodes (e.g., PageRank), community detection, respondent-driven sampling, and opinion models such as voter models.

A randomized trial found online questionnaires supplemented by postal reminders generated a cost-effective and generalizable sample but don't forget the reminders.

PubMed

Loban, Amanda; Mandefield, Laura; Hind, Daniel; Bradburn, Mike

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to compare the response rates, data completeness, and representativeness of survey data produced by online and postal surveys. A randomized trial nested within a cohort study in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Participants were randomized to receive either an electronic (online) survey questionnaire with paper reminder (N = 2,982) or paper questionnaire with electronic reminder (N = 2,855). Response rates were similar for electronic contact and postal contacts (50.9% vs. 49.7%, difference = 1.2%, 95% confidence interval: -1.3% to 3.8%). The characteristics of those responding to the two groups were similar. Participants nevertheless demonstrated an overwhelming preference for postal questionnaires, with the majority responding by post in both groups. Online survey questionnaire systems need to be supplemented with a postal reminder to achieve acceptable uptake, but doing so provides a similar response rate and case mix when compared to postal questionnaires alone. For large surveys, online survey systems may be cost saving. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Commuters and Parking at UNC-G. Preliminary Findings from the Commuting Student Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reichard, Donald J.; McArver, Patricia P.

Data gleaned from items relating to transportation and parking from the Commuting Student Survey are reported. The survey questionnaire was designed to provide an overview of several aspects of the commuting student's relationship with the university and was sent to a stratified random sample of 2,140 students who were enrolled for the spring 1975…

Perceptions of Civility for Mobile Phone Use in Formal and Informal Meetings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Melvin C.; Okoro, Ephraim A.; Cardon, Peter W.

2014-01-01

We report our survey research about what American business professionals consider appropriate or civil mobile phone behavior during formal and informal meetings. The findings come from two of our recent research studies: an open-ended survey of 204 employees at a beverage distributor on the East Coast and a nationwide, random-sample survey of 350…

Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Executive Summary and Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Matt

The 1999 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was conducted as part of a national survey effort by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A stratified random sample of classrooms in all public schools with ninth through twelfth grades was taken. The YRBS was administered to 1,336 students in 46 public schools in Wisconsin in…

Space-Time Smoothing of Complex Survey Data: Small Area Estimation for Child Mortality

PubMed Central

Mercer, Laina D; Wakefield, Jon; Pantazis, Athena; Lutambi, Angelina M; Masanja, Honorati; Clark, Samuel

2016-01-01

Many people living in low and middle-income countries are not covered by civil registration and vital statistics systems. Consequently, a wide variety of other types of data including many household sample surveys are used to estimate health and population indicators. In this paper we combine data from sample surveys and demographic surveillance systems to produce small area estimates of child mortality through time. Small area estimates are necessary to understand geographical heterogeneity in health indicators when full-coverage vital statistics are not available. For this endeavor spatio-temporal smoothing is beneficial to alleviate problems of data sparsity. The use of conventional hierarchical models requires careful thought since the survey weights may need to be considered to alleviate bias due to non-random sampling and non-response. The application that motivated this work is estimation of child mortality rates in five-year time intervals in regions of Tanzania. Data come from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted over the period 1991–2010 and two demographic surveillance system sites. We derive a variance estimator of under five years child mortality that accounts for the complex survey weighting. For our application, the hierarchical models we consider include random effects for area, time and survey and we compare models using a variety of measures including the conditional predictive ordinate (CPO). The method we propose is implemented via the fast and accurate integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). PMID:27468328

77 FR 21563 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-10

... OMB Review; Comment Request Title: Annual Survey of Refugees (Form ORR-9). OMB No.: 0970-0033. Description: The Annual Survey of Refugees collects information on the social and economic circumstances of a random sample of refugees, Amerasians, and entrants who arrived in the United States in the five years...

Beliefs and Attitudes of Secondary Agriculture Teachers about Global Agriculture Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, Sara D.; Roberts, T. Grady; Harder, Amy

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes of secondary agriculture teachers regarding global agricultural issues. A randomized national sample of 417 teachers were surveyed using a modified version of the International Agricultural Awareness and Understanding Survey (Wingenbach, Boyd, Lindner, Dick, Arispe, & Haba,…

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (EMAP): WESTERN STREAMS AND RIVERS STATISTICAL SUMMARY

EPA Science Inventory

This statistical summary reports data from the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) Western Pilot (EMAP-W). EMAP-W was a sample survey (or probability survey, often simply called 'random') of streams and rivers in 12 states of the western U.S. (Arizona, Californ...

Drug and Alcohol Use by Canadian University Athletes: A National Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spence, John C.; Gauvin, Lise

1996-01-01

Using a stratified random sampling procedure, 754 student athletes were surveyed regarding drug and alcohol use in eight different sports from eight universities across Canada. Provides statistics of substances athletes reported using, including pain medications, weight loss products, anabolic steroids, smokeless tobacco products, alcohol,…

Students with Disabilities and Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Delar K.

2005-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a national survey that collected data describing the selected facilities and services of 137 randomly selected institutions of higher learning. The survey was sent to the Directors of services for disabled students of the sample institutions. The findings indicate that only 7% of the institutions of higher…

SHRM Work & Family Survey Report, 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Society for Human Resource Management, Alexandria, VA.

In March 1992, a random sample of 5,600 human resource professionals was selected from the membership of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and surveyed regarding family issues in the workplace. Respondents were asked to provide information on the size and other characteristics of their organization and workplace practices, and were…

Regional Assessment and Participative Evaluation: Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Roger L.; Gould, John A., Jr.

The report surveys the occupational environment of the towns in the region within 30 to 45 minutes' commuting time of North Reading, Massachusetts. A random sample of manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, service, and to a much lesser extent finance, insurance, real estate establishments was surveyed in person or by mail. Information…

The Recruitment and Retention of People with Disabilities. Report 301.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dench, S.; And Others

A British survey of employers examined the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities (PWDs). Telephone interviews were conducted with two samples of employers: a random sample of 1,250 and a sample of 250 registered users of the Employment Service's "Disability Symbol," which sets a good practice standard for the employment…

Measuring comparative risk perceptions in an urban minority population: the risk perception survey for diabetes.

PubMed

Walker, Elizabeth A; Caban, Arlene; Schechter, Clyde B; Basch, Charles E; Blanco, Emelinda; DeWitt, Tara; Kalten, Maria R; Mera, Maria S; Mojica, Gisele

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess comparative risk perceptions related to diabetes complications and their associations with patient characteristics in an urban minority sample. The authors developed the Risk Perception Survey-Diabetes Mellitus (RPS-DM) and administered the survey using a Solomon Four group design with a random half of a sample of 599 adults with diabetes. This was the baseline survey to measure comparative risk perceptions in a multiethnic sample prior to implementation of randomly assigned behavioral interventions to improve diabetic retinopathy screening rates. The RPS-DM survey was completed by 250 participants (an 85% completion rate). Participants did not differ significantly by demographics from all other subjects. The sample included 62% women, mean age of 56.5 years, 42.4% Hispanic ethnicity, and 44% black race. The survey showed acceptable psychometric properties in English or Spanish and was feasible to complete by telephone in 12 to 15 minutes. Significant differences by subject characteristics were seen in several survey subscales, including Risk Knowledge by age (P < or = .01) and annual income (P < or = .05), Personal Control by educational level (P < or = .05), and Optimistic Bias by birthplace (P < or = .05) and educational level (P < or = .01). An analysis of variance produced demographic models statistically significant (P < .05) for Risk Knowledge, Personal Control, Environmental Risk, and Optimistic Bias. From 13% to 16% of the variance in the subscale scores was explained by these demographic models. The RPS-DM is the first instrument to measure comparative risk perceptions, including knowledge related to diabetes complications. These data are important for educators and researchers who wish to assess risk perceptions and tailor health/risk communications for their diabetes populations.

Response rate, response time, and economic costs of survey research: A randomized trial of practicing pharmacists.

PubMed

Hardigan, Patrick C; Popovici, Ioana; Carvajal, Manuel J

2016-01-01

There is a gap between increasing demands from pharmacy journals, publishers, and reviewers for high survey response rates and the actual responses often obtained in the field by survey researchers. Presumably demands have been set high because response rates, times, and costs affect the validity and reliability of survey results. Explore the extent to which survey response rates, average response times, and economic costs are affected by conditions under which pharmacist workforce surveys are administered. A random sample of 7200 U.S. practicing pharmacists was selected. The sample was stratified by delivery method, questionnaire length, item placement, and gender of respondent for a total of 300 observations within each subgroup. A job satisfaction survey was administered during March-April 2012. Delivery method was the only classification showing significant differences in response rates and average response times. The postal mail procedure accounted for the highest response rates of completed surveys, but the email method exhibited the quickest turnaround. A hybrid approach, consisting of a combination of postal and electronic means, showed the least favorable results. Postal mail was 2.9 times more cost effective than the email approach and 4.6 times more cost effective than the hybrid approach. Researchers seeking to increase practicing pharmacists' survey participation and reduce response time and related costs can benefit from the analytical procedures tested here. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of sampling methods for hard-to-reach francophone populations: yield and adequacy of advertisement and respondent-driven sampling.

PubMed

Ngwakongnwi, Emmanuel; King-Shier, Kathryn M; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Musto, Richard; Quan, Hude

2014-01-01

Francophones who live outside the primarily French-speaking province of Quebec, Canada, risk being excluded from research by lack of a sampling frame. We examined the adequacy of random sampling, advertising, and respondent-driven sampling for recruitment of francophones for survey research. We recruited francophones residing in the city of Calgary, Alberta, through advertising and respondentdriven sampling. These 2 samples were then compared with a random subsample of Calgary francophones derived from the 2006 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). We assessed the effectiveness of advertising and respondent-driven sampling in relation to the CCHS sample by comparing demographic characteristics and selected items from the CCHS (specifically self-reported general health status, perceived weight, and having a family doctor). We recruited 120 francophones through advertising and 145 through respondent-driven sampling; the random sample from the CCHS consisted of 259 records. The samples derived from advertising and respondentdriven sampling differed from the CCHS in terms of age (mean ages 41.0, 37.6, and 42.5 years, respectively), sex (proportion of males 26.1%, 40.6%, and 56.6%, respectively), education (college or higher 86.7% , 77.9% , and 59.1%, respectively), place of birth (immigrants accounting for 45.8%, 55.2%, and 3.7%, respectively), and not having a regular medical doctor (16.7%, 34.5%, and 16.6%, respectively). Differences were not tested statistically because of limitations on the analysis of CCHS data imposed by Statistics Canada. The samples generated exclusively through advertising and respondent-driven sampling were not representative of the gold standard sample from the CCHS. Use of such biased samples for research studies could generate misleading results.

Adiposity and Quality of Life: A Case Study from an Urban Center in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akinpelu, Aderonke O.; Akinola, Odunayo T.; Gbiri, Caleb A.

2009-01-01

Objective: To determine relationship between adiposity indices and quality of life (QOL) of residents of a housing estate in Lagos, Nigeria. Design: Cross-sectional survey employing multistep random sampling method. Setting: Urban residential estate. Participants: This study involved 900 randomly selected residents of Abesan Housing Estate, Lagos,…

Teachers' Attitude towards Implementation of Learner-Centered Methodology in Science Education in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndirangu, Caroline

2017-01-01

This study aims to evaluate teachers' attitude towards implementation of learner-centered methodology in science education in Kenya. The study used a survey design methodology, adopting the purposive, stratified random and simple random sampling procedures and hypothesised that there was no significant relationship between the head teachers'…

Educators' Use of Electronic Networks: An E-Mail Survey of Account-Holders on a Statewide Telecomputing System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Susan E.; Harris, Judith B.

This study investigated educators' use of TENET, a statewide educational telecomputing network in Texas. It also documented the development and testing of a lengthy theory-based questionnaire and verified the efficacy of a method for administering surveys via electronic mail. The 70-item survey was sent to a random sample of 300 TENET users with a…

Assessing quality of reports on randomized clinical trials in nursing journals.

PubMed

Parent, Nicole; Hanley, James A

2009-01-01

Several surveys have presented the quality of reports on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published in general and specialty medical journals. The aim of these surveys was to raise scientific consciousness on methodological aspects pertaining to internal and external validity. These reviews have suggested that the methodological quality could be improved. We conducted a survey of reports on RCTs published in nursing journals to assess their methodological quality. The features we considered included sample size, flow of participants, assessment of baseline comparability, randomization, blinding, and statistical analysis. We collected data from all reports of RCTs published between January 1994 and December 1997 in Applied Nursing Research, Heart & Lung and Nursing Research. We hand-searched the journals and included all 54 articles in which authors reported that individuals have been randomly allocated to distinct groups. We collected data using a condensed form of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement for structured reporting of RCTs (Begg et al., 1996). Sample size calculations were included in only 22% of the reports. Only 48% of the reports provided information about the type of randomization, and a mere 22% described blinding strategies. Comparisons of baseline characteristics using hypothesis tests were abusively produced in more than 76% of the reports. Excessive use and unstructured reports of significance testing were common (59%), and all reports failed to provide magnitude of treatment differences with confidence intervals. Better methodological quality in reports of RCTs will contribute to increase the standards of nursing research.

A Critical Assessment of Bias in Survey Studies Using Location-Based Sampling to Recruit Patrons in Bars

PubMed Central

Morrison, Christopher; Lee, Juliet P.; Gruenewald, Paul J.; Marzell, Miesha

2015-01-01

Location-based sampling is a method to obtain samples of people within ecological contexts relevant to specific public health outcomes. Random selection increases generalizability, however in some circumstances (such as surveying bar patrons) recruitment conditions increase risks of sample bias. We attempted to recruit representative samples of bars and patrons in six California cities, but low response rates precluded meaningful analysis. A systematic review of 24 similar studies revealed that none addressed the key shortcomings of our study. We recommend steps to improve studies that use location-based sampling: (i) purposively sample places of interest, (ii) utilize recruitment strategies appropriate to the environment, and (iii) provide full information on response rates at all levels of sampling. PMID:26574657

Randomization of grab-sampling strategies for estimating the annual exposure of U miners to Rn daughters.

PubMed

Borak, T B

1986-04-01

Periodic grab sampling in combination with time-of-occupancy surveys has been the accepted procedure for estimating the annual exposure of underground U miners to Rn daughters. Temporal variations in the concentration of potential alpha energy in the mine generate uncertainties in this process. A system to randomize the selection of locations for measurement is described which can reduce uncertainties and eliminate systematic biases in the data. In general, a sample frequency of 50 measurements per year is sufficient to satisfy the criteria that the annual exposure be determined in working level months to within +/- 50% of the true value with a 95% level of confidence. Suggestions for implementing this randomization scheme are presented.

Aggravating Circumstances: A Status Report on Rudeness in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farkas, Steve; Johnson, Jean

How people treat each other in their daily interactions seems to be profoundly important and even central to the definition of a "civilized" society. This nationwide survey examined what Americans are thinking about courtesy, manners, rudeness, and respect. Data were gathered through a random sample telephone survey of 2,013 adults…

Job Stress and Burnout among Industrial and Technical Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Ernest W.; McMahan, Jama

2003-01-01

This study examined job stress and burnout among a random sample of 133 industrial and technical teacher educators. The Job Stress Survey (JSS) developed by Spielberger and Vagg (1999) measured stress; the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) developed by Maslach and Jackson (1996) measured burnout. Stepwise multiple…

Framework for Disciplinary Writing in Science Grades 6-12: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, Sally Valentino; Olinghouse, Natalie G.; Faggella-Luby, Michael; Welsh, Megan E.

2017-01-01

This study investigated the current state of writing instruction in science classes (Grades 6-12). A random sample of certified science teachers from the United States (N = 287) was electronically surveyed. Participants reported on their purposes for teaching writing, the writing assignments most often given to students, use of evidence-based…

Private Sector Views of Vocational Education: A Statewide Employer Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Thomas R.; Monthey, Wanda

A study examined the views of private sector employers in Oregon on vocational education. During the study, researchers mailed questionnaires to a stratified random sample of 1,500 employers throughout Oregon. In addition, they surveyed another 140 employers who were identified as hiring the largest numbers of vocational education completers in…

Campus HIV Prevention Strategies: Planning for Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoban, Mary T.; Ottenritter, Nan W.; Gascoigne, Jan L.; Kerr, Dianne L.

This document presents the results of the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey (NCHRBS) conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that pertain to HIV transmission. These results include sexual assault, alcohol and other drug use, and sexual behaviors. The survey was administered to a nationally representative random sample of…

Job Demand in the Cosmetology Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudner, Lawrence M.; Deutermann, William V., Jr.

In order to determine job demand in the cosmetology industry, a survey was made of a nationally representative stratified random sample of 1,454 beauty salons, barber shops, and unisex salons in July 1991. Salon owners were asked about 1990 and their plans for the future. Survey results were supplemented with information about the industry…

How Do Primary Grade Teachers Teach Handwriting? A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Steve; Harris, Karen R.; Mason, Linda; Fink-Chorzempa, Barbara; Moran, Susan; Saddler, Bruce

2008-01-01

A random sample of primary grade teachers from across the United States was surveyed about their instructional practices in handwriting. Nine out of every ten teachers indicated that they taught handwriting, averaging 70 minutes of instruction per week. Only 12% of teachers, however, indicated that the education courses taken in college adequately…

Teacher Evaluation: Practices and Procedures. ERS Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Research Service, Arlington, VA.

This report presents findings of the 1988 Educational Research Service survey of teacher evaluation practices and procedures in U.S. schools. The survey instrument was mailed to a random sample of 1,730 superintendents of school districts of varying size. The response rate was 52.5 percent. The first section discusses the purposes of teacher…

State of Washington Computer Use Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beal, Jack L.; And Others

This report presents the results of a spring 1982 survey of a random sample of Washington public schools which separated findings according to school level (elementary, middle, junior high, or high school) and district size (either less than or greater than 2,000 enrollment). A brief review of previous studies and a description of the survey…

Influences on Students Selecting Cooperative Education Programs in Michigan High Schools. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woloszyk, Carl A.

Factors influencing the decision of high school students to enroll in cooperative education programs were investigated in a survey. The stratified random sample consisted of 275 high school students currently enrolled in cooperative education programs in five different types of communities throughout Michigan. The survey questionnaire included 8…

Alumni Survey, 1973-1983.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, Ann A.; Sillin, Andrew

A study was conducted at Dutchess Community College (DCC) to provide a broad picture of the further education and employment status of DCC alumni several years after graduation and to determine how satisfied alumni were with the education and services provided by the college. Survey questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 20% of DCC…

Deaf College Students' Attitudes toward Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Campus Climate, and Role Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parasnis, Ila; Samar, Vincent J.; Fischer, Susan D.

2005-01-01

Deaf college Students attitudes toward a variety of issues related to racial/ethnic diversity were surveyed by contacting all racial/ethnic minority deaf students and a random sample of Caucasian deaf students attending the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), Rochester Institute of Technology; 38% completed the survey. Although…

Marketing Effectiveness in Community and Junior Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scigliano, Virginia L.; Scigliano, John A.

A nationwide survey of a random sample of 210 two-year colleges was conducted in 1979 to test the hypothesis that administrative adherence to sound marketing practices will lead to higher enrollments. Survey participants were asked to respond to 15 items adapted from Philip Kotler's Marketing Audit, a recognized scale of marketing effectiveness…

Tobacco Use by College Students: A Comparison of Daily and Nondaily Smokers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutfin, Erin L.; McCoy, Thomas P.; Berg, Carla J.; Champion, Heather; Helme, Donald W.; O'Brien, Mary Claire; Wolfson, Mark

2012-01-01

Objectives: To explore demographics, contextual factors, and health risk behaviors associated with nondaily smoking by college students. Methods: In fall 2005, a random sample of 4100 students completed an online survey. Results: Of those surveyed, 29% reported current smoking; of that 29%, 70% were nondaily smokers. Compared to daily smokers,…

Sleep Patterns of College Students at a Public University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forquer, LeAnne M.; Camden, Adrian E.; Gabriau, Krista M.; Johnson, C. Merle

2008-01-01

Objective: The authors' purpose in this study was to determine the sleep patterns of college students to identify problem areas and potential solutions. Participants: A total of 313 students returned completed surveys. Methods: A sleep survey was e-mailed to a random sample of students at a North Central university. Questions included individual…

1989 Student Survey Results: HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors. Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.

In 1989, the Colorado Department of Education, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control, administered the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (AIDS/HIV) Student Survey to randomly selected Colorado students (1,851), excluding the Denver Public Schools, grades 9-12. The sample was fairly equally divided by…

Review of Estimation Methods for Landline and Cell Phone Surveys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arcos, Antonio; del Mar Rueda, María; Trujillo, Manuel; Molina, David

2015-01-01

The rapid proliferation of cell phone use and the accompanying decline in landline service in recent years have resulted in substantial potential for coverage bias in landline random-digit-dial telephone surveys, which has led to the implementation of dual-frame designs that incorporate both landline and cell phone samples. Consequently,…

Crime Victimization in Adults With Severe Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Teplin, Linda A.; McClelland, Gary M.; Abram, Karen M.; Weiner, Dana A.

2006-01-01

Context Since deinstitutionalization, most persons with severe mental illness (SMI) now live in the community, where they are at great risk for crime victimization. Objectives To determine the prevalence and incidence of crime victimization among persons with SMI by sex, race/ethnicity, and age, and to compare rates with general population data (the National Crime Victimization Survey), controlling for income and demographic differences between the samples. Design Epidemiologic study of persons in treatment. Independent master’s-level clinical research interviewers administered the National Crime Victimization Survey to randomly selected patients sampled from 16 randomly selected mental health agencies. Setting Sixteen agencies providing outpatient, day, and residential treatment to persons with SMI in Chicago, Ill. Participants Randomly selected, stratified sample of 936 patients aged 18 or older (483 men, 453 women) who were African American (n = 329), non-Hispanic white (n = 321), Hispanic (n = 270), or other race/ethnicity (n = 22). The comparison group comprised 32449 participants in the National Crime Victimization Survey. Main Outcome Measure National Crime Victimization Survey, developed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Results More than one quarter of persons with SMI had been victims of a violent crime in the past year, a rate more than 11 times higher than the general population rates even after controlling for demographic differences between the 2 samples (P<.001). The annual incidence of violent crime in the SMI sample (168.2 incidents per 1000 persons) is more than 4 times higher than the general population rates (39.9 incidents per 1000 persons) (P<.001). Depending on the type of violent crime (rape/sexual assault, robbery, assault, and their subcategories), prevalence was 6 to 23 times greater among persons with SMI than among the general population. Conclusions Crime victimization is a major public health problem among persons with SMI who are treated in the community. We recommend directions for future research, propose modifications in public policy, and suggest how the mental health system can respond to reduce victimization and its consequences. PMID:16061769

The American Entrepreneurial and Small-Business Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, John E.

A study examined public attitudes toward entrepreneurs and small business owners and people's perceptions of the entrepreneurial character and challenge. Information was gathered from two surveys, composed of three samples, conducted in 1985. Samples included: (1) 1,001 persons contacted through random telephone dialing; (2) 250 telephone…

Physical Activity among Rural Older Adults with Diabetes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arcury, Thomas A.; Snively, Beverly M.; Bell, Ronny A.; Smith, Shannon L.; Stafford, Jeanette M.; Wetmore-Arkader, Lindsay K.; Quandt, Sara A.

2006-01-01

Purpose: This analysis describes physical activity levels and factors associated with physical activity in an ethnically diverse (African American, Native American, white) sample of rural older adults with diabetes. Method: Data were collected using a population-based, cross-sectional stratified random sample survey of 701 community-dwelling…

Designing efficient surveys: spatial arrangement of sample points for detection of invasive species

Treesearch

Ludek Berec; John M. Kean; Rebecca Epanchin-Niell; Andrew M. Liebhold; Robert G. Haight

2015-01-01

Effective surveillance is critical to managing biological invasions via early detection and eradication. The efficiency of surveillance systems may be affected by the spatial arrangement of sample locations. We investigate how the spatial arrangement of sample points, ranging from random to fixed grid arrangements, affects the probability of detecting a target...

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE, PHYSICAL HABITAT AND FISH ASSEMBLAGE DATA IN A STATE WIDE PROBABILITY SURVEY OF OREGON STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

To assess the ecological condition of streams and rivers in Oregon, we sampled 146 sites
in summer, 1997 as part of the U.S. EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program.
Sample reaches were selected using a systematic, randomized sample design from the blue-line n...

Improving the Quality of Web Surveys: The Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES)

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Analogous to checklists of recommendations such as the CONSORT statement (for randomized trials), or the QUORUM statement (for systematic reviews), which are designed to ensure the quality of reports in the medical literature, a checklist of recommendations for authors is being presented by the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) in an effort to ensure complete descriptions of Web-based surveys. Papers on Web-based surveys reported according to the CHERRIES statement will give readers a better understanding of the sample (self-)selection and its possible differences from a “representative” sample. It is hoped that author adherence to the checklist will increase the usefulness of such reports. PMID:15471760

Are there Benefits to Combining Regional Probabalistic Survey and Historic Targeted Environmental Monitoring Data to Improve Our Understanding of Overall Regional Estuary Environmental Status?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasher, D. H.; Lomax, T. J.; Bethe, A.; Jewett, S.; Hoberg, M.

2016-02-01

A regional probabilistic survey of 20 randomly selected stations, where water and sediments were sampled, was conducted over an area of Simpson Lagoon and Gwydyr Bay in the Beaufort Sea adjacent Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in 2014. Sampling parameters included water column for temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, nutrients and sediments for macroinvertebrates, chemistry, i.e., trace metals and hydrocarbons, and grain size. The 2014 probabilistic survey design allows for inferences to be made of environmental status, for instance the spatial or aerial distribution of sediment trace metals within the design area sampled. Historically, since the 1970's a number of monitoring studies have been conducted in this estuary area using a targeted rather than regional probabilistic design. Targeted non-random designs were utilized to assess specific points of interest and cannot be used to make inferences to distributions of environmental parameters. Due to differences in the environmental monitoring objectives between probabilistic and targeted designs there has been limited assessment see if benefits exist to combining the two approaches. This study evaluates if a combined approach using the 2014 probabilistic survey sediment trace metal and macroinvertebrate results and historical targeted monitoring data can provide a new perspective on better understanding the environmental status of these estuaries.

Attenuation of species abundance distributions by sampling

PubMed Central

Shimadzu, Hideyasu; Darnell, Ross

2015-01-01

Quantifying biodiversity aspects such as species presence/ absence, richness and abundance is an important challenge to answer scientific and resource management questions. In practice, biodiversity can only be assessed from biological material taken by surveys, a difficult task given limited time and resources. A type of random sampling, or often called sub-sampling, is a commonly used technique to reduce the amount of time and effort for investigating large quantities of biological samples. However, it is not immediately clear how (sub-)sampling affects the estimate of biodiversity aspects from a quantitative perspective. This paper specifies the effect of (sub-)sampling as attenuation of the species abundance distribution (SAD), and articulates how the sampling bias is induced to the SAD by random sampling. The framework presented also reveals some confusion in previous theoretical studies. PMID:26064626

Estimating the encounter rate variance in distance sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fewster, R.M.; Buckland, S.T.; Burnham, K.P.; Borchers, D.L.; Jupp, P.E.; Laake, J.L.; Thomas, L.

2009-01-01

The dominant source of variance in line transect sampling is usually the encounter rate variance. Systematic survey designs are often used to reduce the true variability among different realizations of the design, but estimating the variance is difficult and estimators typically approximate the variance by treating the design as a simple random sample of lines. We explore the properties of different encounter rate variance estimators under random and systematic designs. We show that a design-based variance estimator improves upon the model-based estimator of Buckland et al. (2001, Introduction to Distance Sampling. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 79) when transects are positioned at random. However, if populations exhibit strong spatial trends, both estimators can have substantial positive bias under systematic designs. We show that poststratification is effective in reducing this bias. ?? 2008, The International Biometric Society.

Psychometric evaluation of an inpatient consumer survey measuring satisfaction with psychiatric care.

PubMed

Ortiz, Glorimar; Schacht, Lucille

2012-01-01

Measurement of consumers' satisfaction in psychiatric settings is important because it has been correlated with improved clinical outcomes and administrative measures of high-quality care. These consumer satisfaction measurements are actively used as performance measures required by the accreditation process and for quality improvement activities. Our objectives were (i) to re-evaluate, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the structure of an instrument intended to measure consumers' satisfaction with care in psychiatric settings and (ii) to examine and publish the psychometric characteristics, validity and reliability, of the Inpatient Consumer Survey (ICS). To psychometrically test the structure of the ICS, 34 878 survey results, submitted by 90 psychiatric hospitals in 2008, were extracted from the Behavioral Healthcare Performance Measurement System (BHPMS). Basic descriptive item-response and correlation analyses were performed for total surveys. Two datasets were randomly created for analysis. A random sample of 8229 survey results was used for EFA. Another random sample of 8261 consumer survey results was used for CFA. This same sample was used to perform validity and reliability analyses. The item-response analysis showed that the mean range for a disagree/agree five-point scale was 3.10-3.94. Correlation analysis showed a strong relationship between items. Six domains (dignity, rights, environment, empowerment, participation, and outcome) with internal reliabilities between good to moderate (0.87-0.73) were shown to be related to overall care satisfaction. Overall reliability for the instrument was excellent (0.94). Results from CFA provided support for the domains structure of the ICS proposed through EFA. The overall findings from this study provide evidence that the ICS is a reliable measure of consumer satisfaction in psychiatric inpatient settings. The analysis has shown the ICS to provide valid and reliable results and to focus on the specific concerns of consumers of psychiatric inpatient care. Scores by item indicate that opportunity for improvement exists across healthcare organizations.

Assessing representativeness of sampling methods for reaching men who have sex with men: a direct comparison of results obtained from convenience and probability samples.

PubMed

Schwarcz, Sandra; Spindler, Hilary; Scheer, Susan; Valleroy, Linda; Lansky, Amy

2007-07-01

Convenience samples are used to determine HIV-related behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) without measuring the extent to which the results are representative of the broader MSM population. We compared results from a cross-sectional survey of MSM recruited from gay bars between June and October 2001 to a random digit dial telephone survey conducted between June 2002 and January 2003. The men in the probability sample were older, better educated, and had higher incomes than men in the convenience sample, the convenience sample enrolled more employed men and men of color. Substance use around the time of sex was higher in the convenience sample but other sexual behaviors were similar. HIV testing was common among men in both samples. Periodic validation, through comparison of data collected by different sampling methods, may be useful when relying on survey data for program and policy development.

A Randomized Trial Comparing Mail versus In-Office Distribution of the CAHPS Clinician and Group Survey

PubMed Central

Anastario, Michael P; Rodriguez, Hector P; Gallagher, Patricia M; Cleary, Paul D; Shaller, Dale; Rogers, William H; Bogen, Karen; Safran, Dana Gelb

2010-01-01

Objective To assess the effect of survey distribution protocol (mail versus handout) on data quality and measurement of patient care experiences. Data Sources/Study Setting Multisite randomized trial of survey distribution protocols. Analytic sample included 2,477 patients of 15 clinicians at three practice sites in New York State. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Mail and handout distribution modes were alternated weekly at each site for 6 weeks. Principal Findings Handout protocols yielded an incomplete distribution rate (74 percent) and lower overall response rates (40 percent versus 58 percent) compared with mail. Handout distribution rates decreased over time and resulted in more favorable survey scores compared with mailed surveys. There were significant mode–physician interaction effects, indicating that data cannot simply be pooled and adjusted for mode. Conclusions In-office survey distribution has the potential to bias measurement and comparison of physicians and sites on patient care experiences. Incomplete distribution rates observed in-office, together with between-office differences in distribution rates and declining rates over time suggest staff may be burdened by the process and selective in their choice of patients. Further testing with a larger physician and site sample is important to definitively establish the potential role for in-office distribution in obtaining reliable, valid assessment of patient care experiences. PMID:20579126

Modeling the Stress Complexities of Teaching and Learning of School Physics in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emetere, Moses E.

2014-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the validity of the stress complexity model (SCM) to teaching and learning of school physics in Abuja municipal area council of Abuja, North. About two hundred students were randomly selected by a simple random sampling technique from some schools within the Abuja municipal area council. A survey research…

Two Extremely Red Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joseph, Robert D.; Hora, Joseph; Stockton, Alan; Hu, Esther; Sanders, David

1997-01-01

This report concerns one of the major observational studies in the ISO Central Programme, the ISO Normal Galaxy Survey. This is a survey of an unbiased sample of spiral and lenticular galaxies selected from the Revised Shapley-Ames Catalog. It is therefore optically-selected, with a brightness limit of blue magnitude = 12, and otherwise randomly chosen. The original sample included 150 galaxies, but this was reduced to 74 when the allocated observing time was expended because the ISO overheads encountered in flight were much larger than predicted.

Asbestos in Colorado Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Cynthia A.

This study determined, by means of a random sample, how many of Colorado's public schools have asbestos materials and estimated the potential risk of exposure presented by these materials. Forty-one schools were surveyed. Bulk samples of possible asbestos materials were collected and analyzed using the K-squared Asbestos Screening Test to…

MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL STREAMS STUDY: STATISTICAL DESIGN FOR REGIONAL ASSESSMENT AND LANDSCAPE MODEL DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A network of stream-sampling sites was developed for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (New Jersey through North Carolina) a collaborative study between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey. A stratified random sampling with unequal weighting was u...

Academic Self-Efficacy Perceptions of Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yesilyurt, Etem

2013-01-01

This study aims determining academic self-efficacy perception of teacher candidates. It is survey model. Population of the study consists of teacher candidates in 2010-2011 academic years at Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty of Education Formation of Selcuk University. A simple random sample was selected as sampling method and the study was…

MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL STREAMS STUDY: STATISTICAL DESIGN FOR REGIONAL ASSESSMENT AND LANDSCAPE MODEL DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A network of stream-sampling sites was developed for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (New Jersey through North Carolina) as part of collaborative research between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey. A stratified random sampling with unequal wei...

The Analysis of Organizational Diagnosis on Based Six Box Model in Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamid, Rahimi; Siadat, Sayyed Ali; Reza, Hoveida; Arash, Shahin; Ali, Nasrabadi Hasan; Azizollah, Arbabisarjou

2011-01-01

Purpose: The analysis of organizational diagnosis on based six box model at universities. Research method: Research method was descriptive-survey. Statistical population consisted of 1544 faculty members of universities which through random strafed sampling method 218 persons were chosen as the sample. Research Instrument were organizational…

A New Culture of Assessment: Preliminary Report on the ARL SERVQUAL Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Colleen; Heath, Fred; Thompson, Bruce

Texas A&M University and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) under the New Measures initiative are engaged in a project to evaluate service quality in research libraries using an augmented SERVQUAL instrument. In spring 2000, 13 ARL libraries in North America invited a random sample of students and faculty to take the survey through…

Malpractice Insurance Requirements in Counselor Education Master's Degree Programs: A Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastings, Paul B.; D'Aboy, Kari Hansen

To determine what percentage of master's level graduate programs in counselor education recommend or require the purchase of malpractice insurance for their students, a 20 percent random sample of 287 master's level counselor education programs, listed in "Graduate Study in Psychology, 1982-83," were surveyed. The return rate was 80 percent (N=46…

MediaQuotient[TM]: National Survey of Family Media Habits, Knowledge, and Attitudes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentile, Douglas A.; Walsh, David A.

This study examined family media habits, including the use of television, movies, videos, computer and video games, the Internet, music, and print media. The study was conducted by mail with telephone follow-ups, surveying a national random sample of 527 parents of 2- to 17-year-olds who completed MediaQuotient questionnaires. Findings were…

How Does Active Parental Consent Influence the Findings of Drug-Use Surveys in Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Victoria M.; Hill, David J.; Effendi, Yuksel

2004-01-01

This study examines the impact of passive and active parental consent procedures on the type of adolescents participating in a school-based survey examining substance use. Schools recruited from a random sample of metropolitan schools were assigned to passive or active parental consent condition. Results showed that participation rates in active…

Texas School Survey of Substance Abuse: Grades 7-12. 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Liang Y.; Fredlund, Eric V.

The 1992 Texas School Survey results for secondary students are based on data collected from a sample of 73,073 students in grades 7 through 12. Students were randomly selected from school districts throughout the state using a multi-stage probability design. The procedure ensured that students living in metropolitan and rural areas of Texas are…

The Williamsburg Charter Survey on Religion and Public Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamsburg Charter Foundation, Washington, DC.

Findings from a survey designed to gauge how U.S. citizens view the place of religion in public life are discussed. A total of 1,889 adults were interviewed at random by telephone for the cross-sectional sample. Additional interviews were conducted with more than 300 teenagers and with 7 leadership groups representing business, higher education,…

Business Faculty and Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Online Learning: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanner, John R.; Noser, Thomas C.; Totaro, Michael W.

2009-01-01

In this paper, the authors compare business faculty and undergraduate students' perceptions of online learning. Specifically, a survey was given to a convenience sample of 893 undergraduate students (of which 890 were usable) at two regional universities in the southern United States; a modified version of the survey was mailed to a random sample…

Taking Part: Registered Nurses and the Labour Market in 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seccombe, I.; Smith, G.

The labor market participation, pay, job satisfaction, employment patterns, and turnover of registered nurses in the United Kingdom were examined through an analysis of data from the 1997 Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Survey. Of the random sample of 5,984 nurses from the RCN membership records surveyed, 4,288 (72%) returned usable questionnaires.…

A Survey of Theatre in American Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, Patti; And Others

In a survey of the status of theatre in high schools throughout the United States, questionnaires were sent to a random sample of high schools stratified by state and by school size. Analysis of the responses obtained from 606 schools (20.2% return) indicated that most secondary-school drama programs operate on the cocurricular level and emphasize…

Awareness, Knowledge and Exercise of Individual Employment Rights. Employment Relations Research Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meager, Nigel; Tyers, Claire; Perryman, Sarah; Rick, Jo; Willison, Rebecca

Recent employment law reforms in England precipitated a telephone survey of a stratified random sample of 5,120 employed people (1,000 respondents) that was intended to find their levels of awareness and knowledge of employment rights and their exercise of those rights. Survey results included the following: (1) nearly 70% of those questioned…

Teacher-Reported Use of Empirically Validated and Standards-Based Instructional Approaches in Secondary Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Joseph Calvin; Maccini, Paula

2007-01-01

A random sample of 167 secondary special and general educators who taught math to students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and learning disabilities (LD) responded to a mail survey. The survey examined teacher perceptions of (a) definition of math; (b) familiarity with course topics; (c) effectiveness of methods courses; (d)…

Characteristics and Clinical Practices of Marriage and Family Therapists: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northey, William F., Jr.

2002-01-01

This report presents data from a telephone survey of a randomly selected sample of 292 marriage and family therapists (MFTs) who were Clinical Members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. The study, designed to better understand the current state of the field of MFT, provides descriptive data on the demographic…

Work Values and Job Satisfaction of Arkansas Business Educators in Secondary Systems and Community/Technical Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funderburg, Dinnah L.; Kapes, Jerome T.

The work values and job satisfaction of Arkansas business educators in secondary school systems and community/technical colleges were examined through a survey of a random sample of 129 of Arkansas' 926 secondary and community/technical college business educators. Of those teachers sent surveys (67 secondary and 62 community/technical college…

Prevalence of Childhood Sexual Abuse among Incarcerated Males in County Jail

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Regina J.; Ross, Michael W.; Taylor, Wendell C.; Williams, Mark L.; Carvajal, Raul I.; Peters, Ronald J.

2006-01-01

Objective: The current study examined the prevalence and characteristics of childhood sexual abuse in a jailed-based population. Methodology: A retrospective, self-reported survey was administered over an 8-week period to a random sample of 100 men who were incarcerated in a county jail in Southeastern Texas. The survey included questions about…

Determinants of Broader Impacts Activities: A Survey of NSF-Funded Investigators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagy, Dianne

2016-01-01

This study investigated the factors that shape the broader impacts activities of NSF grant recipients. A random sample of NSF grantees was surveyed about the type and quality of their broader impacts activities, their views on knowledge production and the democratization of science, their experience and training, and the existence of a supportive…

Perceptions of Southern Nevada Employers Regarding the Importance of SCANS Workplace Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richens, Greg P.

The perceptions of southern Nevada employers regarding the importance of the Secretary's Commission for Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) workplace basic skills were examined in a survey that was administered to a random sample of southern Nevada businesses. Of the 415 employers who completed the survey, 313 (75.4%) believed that the SCANS skills…

Teaching Effectiveness in Private Higher Education Institutions in Botswana: Analysis of Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baliyan, Som Pal; Moorad, Fazlur Rehman

2018-01-01

This quantitative study analyzed the perceptions of students on teaching effectiveness in private higher education institutions in Botswana. An exploratory and descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to collect data through a survey of 560 stratified randomly sampled students in…

Third and Fourth Grade Teacher's Classroom Practices in Writing: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brindle, Mary; Graham, Steve; Harris, Karen R.; Hebert, Michael

2016-01-01

A random sample of teachers in grades 3 and 4 (N = 157) from across the United States were surveyed about their use of evidence-based writing practices, preparation to teach writing, and beliefs about writing. Teachers' beliefs included their efficacy to teach writing, their orientations to teach writing, their attitude about teaching writing, and…

Satellite-aided survey sampling and implementation in low- and middle-income contexts: a low-cost/low-tech alternative.

PubMed

Haenssgen, Marco J

2015-01-01

The increasing availability of online maps, satellite imagery, and digital technology can ease common constraints of survey sampling in low- and middle-income countries. However, existing approaches require specialised software and user skills, professional GPS equipment, and/or commercial data sources; they tend to neglect spatial sampling considerations when using satellite maps; and they continue to face implementation challenges analogous to conventional survey implementation methods. This paper presents an alternative way of utilising satellite maps and digital aides that aims to address these challenges. The case studies of two rural household surveys in Rajasthan (India) and Gansu (China) compare conventional survey sampling and implementation techniques with the use of online map services such as Google, Bing, and HERE maps. Modern yet basic digital technology can be integrated into the processes of preparing, implementing, and monitoring a rural household survey. Satellite-aided systematic random sampling enhanced the spatial representativeness of the village samples and entailed savings of approximately £4000 compared to conventional household listing, while reducing the duration of the main survey by at least 25 %. This low-cost/low-tech satellite-aided survey sampling approach can be useful for student researchers and resource-constrained research projects operating in low- and middle-income contexts with high survey implementation costs. While achieving transparent and efficient survey implementation at low costs, researchers aiming to adopt a similar process should be aware of the locational, technical, and logistical requirements as well as the methodological challenges of this strategy.

Sample survey methods as a quality assurance tool in a general practice immunisation audit.

PubMed

Cullen, R

1994-04-27

In a multidoctor family practice there are often just too many sets of patients records to make it practical to repeat an audit by census of even an age band of the practice on a regular basis. This paper attempts to demonstrate how sample survey methodology can be incorporated into the quality assurance cycle. A simple random sample (with replacement) of 120 from 580 children with permanent records who were aged between 6 weeks and 2 years old from an Auckland general practice was performed, with sample size selected to give a predetermined precision. The survey was then repeated after 4 weeks. Both surveys were able to be completed within the course of a normal working day. An unexpectedly low level of under 2 years olds that were recorded as not overdue for any immunisations was found (22.5%) with only a modest improvement after a standard telephone/letter catch up campaign. Seventy-two percent of the sample held a group one community services card. The advantages of properly conducted sample surveys in producing useful estimates of known precision without disrupting office routines excessively were demonstrated. Through some attention to methodology, the trauma of a practice census can be avoided.

The utility of point count surveys to predict wildlife interactions with wind energy facilities: An example focused on golden eagles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sur, Maitreyi; Belthoff, James R.; Bjerre, Emily R.; Millsap, Brian A.; Katzner, Todd

2018-01-01

Wind energy development is rapidly expanding in North America, often accompanied by requirements to survey potential facility locations for existing wildlife. Within the USA, golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are among the most high-profile species of birds that are at risk from wind turbines. To minimize golden eagle fatalities in areas proposed for wind development, modified point count surveys are usually conducted to estimate use by these birds. However, it is not always clear what drives variation in the relationship between on-site point count data and actual use by eagles of a wind energy project footprint. We used existing GPS-GSM telemetry data, collected at 15 min intervals from 13 golden eagles in 2012 and 2013, to explore the relationship between point count data and eagle use of an entire project footprint. To do this, we overlaid the telemetry data on hypothetical project footprints and simulated a variety of point count sampling strategies for those footprints. We compared the time an eagle was found in the sample plots with the time it was found in the project footprint using a metric we called “error due to sampling”. Error due to sampling for individual eagles appeared to be influenced by interactions between the size of the project footprint (20, 40, 90 or 180 km2) and the sampling type (random, systematic or stratified) and was greatest on 90 km2 plots. However, use of random sampling resulted in lowest error due to sampling within intermediate sized plots. In addition sampling intensity and sampling frequency both influenced the effectiveness of point count sampling. Although our work focuses on individual eagles (not the eagle populations typically surveyed in the field), our analysis shows both the utility of simulations to identify specific influences on error and also potential improvements to sampling that consider the context-specific manner that point counts are laid out on the landscape.

An employee total health management-based survey of Iowa employers.

PubMed

Merchant, James A; Lind, David P; Kelly, Kevin M; Hall, Jennifer L

2013-12-01

To implement an Employee Total Health Management (ETHM) model-based questionnaire and provide estimates of model program elements among a statewide sample of Iowa employers. Survey a stratified random sample of Iowa employers, and characterize and estimate employer participation in ETHM program elements. Iowa employers are implementing less than 30% of all 12 components of ETHM, with the exception of occupational safety and health (46.6%) and workers' compensation insurance coverage (89.2%), but intend modest expansion of all components in the coming year. The ETHM questionnaire-based survey provides estimates of progress Iowa employers are making toward implementing components of Total Worker Health programs.

A Kaiser Family Foundation and Children Now National Survey: Parents Speak Up about Television Today. A Summary of Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaiser Foundation, Oakland, CA.

In the midst of a growing national debate about the role of television as a de facto "sex educator" for young people today, this survey asked parents nationwide in the fall of 1996 about their views on kids and television. A random sample of 853 parents and children ages 6 to 15 were surveyed by telephone (the data reported here focus on…

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among US Navy and Marine Corps Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-16

protection of human subjects in research (Protocol NHRC.2001.0001). Postal survey The choice of questions and question layouts for the sur- vey instrument were...specific health problems within the past 12 months. The optically scanned 10-page survey instrument was designed to take approximately 30 minutes to...suggestions, the survey instrument was refined before the initial mailing. Additionally, a random sample of 33% of individuals who completed the

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among US Navy and Marine Corps Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-16

subjects in research (Protocol NHRC.2001.0001). Postal survey The choice of questions and question layouts for the sur- vey instrument were modeled...health problems within the past 12 months. The optically scanned 10-page survey instrument was designed to take approximately 30 minutes to com- plete...the survey instrument was refined before the initial mailing. Additionally, a random sample of 33% of individuals who completed the initial

Is This the Place...for Healthy Kids? Results of the 1997 Utah Youth Risk Behavior and 1996 School Health Education Profile Surveys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Brian

This report describes results from the 1997 Utah Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the 1996 Utah School Health Education Profile (SHEP). The YRBS surveyed 9th-12th graders in a random sample of schools about their behaviors that risk their health. Results indicated that students still engage in behaviors that put them at risk for injury or…

Species undersampling in tropical bat surveys: effects on emerging biodiversity patterns.

PubMed

Meyer, Christoph F J; Aguiar, Ludmilla M S; Aguirre, Luis F; Baumgarten, Julio; Clarke, Frank M; Cosson, Jean-François; Estrada Villegas, Sergio; Fahr, Jakob; Faria, Deborah; Furey, Neil; Henry, Mickaël; Jenkins, Richard K B; Kunz, Thomas H; Cristina MacSwiney González, M; Moya, Isabel; Pons, Jean-Marc; Racey, Paul A; Rex, Katja; Sampaio, Erica M; Stoner, Kathryn E; Voigt, Christian C; von Staden, Dietrich; Weise, Christa D; Kalko, Elisabeth K V

2015-01-01

Undersampling is commonplace in biodiversity surveys of species-rich tropical assemblages in which rare taxa abound, with possible repercussions for our ability to implement surveys and monitoring programmes in a cost-effective way. We investigated the consequences of information loss due to species undersampling (missing subsets of species from the full species pool) in tropical bat surveys for the emerging patterns of species richness (SR) and compositional variation across sites. For 27 bat assemblage data sets from across the tropics, we used correlations between original data sets and subsets with different numbers of species deleted either at random, or according to their rarity in the assemblage, to assess to what extent patterns in SR and composition in data subsets are congruent with those in the initial data set. We then examined to what degree high sample representativeness (r ≥ 0·8) was influenced by biogeographic region, sampling method, sampling effort or structural assemblage characteristics. For SR, correlations between random subsets and original data sets were strong (r ≥ 0·8) with moderate (ca. 20%) species loss. Bias associated with information loss was greater for species composition; on average ca. 90% of species in random subsets had to be retained to adequately capture among-site variation. For nonrandom subsets, removing only the rarest species (on average c. 10% of the full data set) yielded strong correlations (r > 0·95) for both SR and composition. Eliminating greater proportions of rare species resulted in weaker correlations and large variation in the magnitude of observed correlations among data sets. Species subsets that comprised ca. 85% of the original set can be considered reliable surrogates, capable of adequately revealing patterns of SR and temporal or spatial turnover in many tropical bat assemblages. Our analyses thus demonstrate the potential as well as limitations for reducing survey effort and streamlining sampling protocols, and consequently for increasing the cost-effectiveness in tropical bat surveys or monitoring programmes. The dependence of the performance of species subsets on structural assemblage characteristics (total assemblage abundance, proportion of rare species), however, underscores the importance of adaptive monitoring schemes and of establishing surrogate performance on a site by site basis based on pilot surveys. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

Impact of participant incentives and direct and snowball sampling on survey response rate in an ethnically diverse community: results from a pilot study of physical activity and the built environment.

PubMed

Perez, Daniel F; Nie, Jason X; Ardern, Chris I; Radhu, Natasha; Ritvo, Paul

2013-02-01

Community-wide efforts to encourage healthy behaviours must respond to the needs of existing neighbourhoods, especially those where low physical activity (PA) is associated with social, economic, and cultural challenges. This study reports on the effect of direct and snowball sampling strategies and financial incentive levels on the response rates of a built environment and PA survey in a predominately urban, low-SES new-immigrant community. Women residing in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario were selected to participate by quasi-random sampling, yielding a response rate of 41.5%. The survey completion rate per contact attempt increased 2-fold when incentives were increased from $10 to $20 and a further threefold following the increase from $20 to $30. Snowball sampled respondents were older, less likely to have full-time employment, and had lower educational attainment than directly sampled participants. With appropriate incentives, face-to-face contact, and snowball sampling, survey-based research is feasible within a low-SES, high minority population.

An Assessment on Awareness and Acceptability of Child Adoption in Edo State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aluyor, P.; Salami, L. I.

2017-01-01

The study examines the awareness and acceptability of child adoption in Edo State. The design used for the study was survey design. The population for the study is made up of adults male and female in Esan West Local Government Area. One hundred respondents were randomly selected using random sampling techniques. The validity was ascertained by…

Using ArcMap, Google Earth, and Global Positioning Systems to select and locate random households in rural Haiti.

PubMed

Wampler, Peter J; Rediske, Richard R; Molla, Azizur R

2013-01-18

A remote sensing technique was developed which combines a Geographic Information System (GIS); Google Earth, and Microsoft Excel to identify home locations for a random sample of households in rural Haiti. The method was used to select homes for ethnographic and water quality research in a region of rural Haiti located within 9 km of a local hospital and source of health education in Deschapelles, Haiti. The technique does not require access to governmental records or ground based surveys to collect household location data and can be performed in a rapid, cost-effective manner. The random selection of households and the location of these households during field surveys were accomplished using GIS, Google Earth, Microsoft Excel, and handheld Garmin GPSmap 76CSx GPS units. Homes were identified and mapped in Google Earth, exported to ArcMap 10.0, and a random list of homes was generated using Microsoft Excel which was then loaded onto handheld GPS units for field location. The development and use of a remote sensing method was essential to the selection and location of random households. A total of 537 homes initially were mapped and a randomized subset of 96 was identified as potential survey locations. Over 96% of the homes mapped using Google Earth imagery were correctly identified as occupied dwellings. Only 3.6% of the occupants of mapped homes visited declined to be interviewed. 16.4% of the homes visited were not occupied at the time of the visit due to work away from the home or market days. A total of 55 households were located using this method during the 10 days of fieldwork in May and June of 2012. The method used to generate and field locate random homes for surveys and water sampling was an effective means of selecting random households in a rural environment lacking geolocation infrastructure. The success rate for locating households using a handheld GPS was excellent and only rarely was local knowledge required to identify and locate households. This method provides an important technique that can be applied to other developing countries where a randomized study design is needed but infrastructure is lacking to implement more traditional participant selection methods.

Validity and Reliability of Psychosocial Factors Related to Breast Cancer Screening.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapka, Jane G.; And Others

1991-01-01

The construct validity of hypothesized survey items and data reduction procedures for selected psychosocial constructs frequently used in breast cancer screening research were investigated in telephone interviews with randomly selected samples of 1,184 and 903 women and a sample of 169 Hispanic clinic clients. Validity of the constructs is…

Development of Effective Teacher Program: Teamwork Building Program for Thailand's Municipal Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chantathai, Pimpka; Tesaputa, Kowat; Somprach, Kanokorn

2015-01-01

This research is aimed to formulate the effective teacher teamwork program in municipal schools in Thailand. Primary survey on current situation and problem was conducted to develop the plan to suggest potential programs. Samples were randomly selected from municipal schools by using multi-stage sampling method in order to investigate their…

The Evaluation of Teachers' Job Performance Based on Total Quality Management (TQM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahmohammadi, Nayereh

2017-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate teachers' job performance based on total quality management (TQM) model. This was a descriptive survey study. The target population consisted of all primary school teachers in Karaj (N = 2917). Using Cochran formula and simple random sampling, 340 participants were selected as sample. A total quality management…

Perceptions of Preservice Teachers regarding the Integration of Information and Communication Technologies in Turkish Education Faculties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akbulut, Yavuz; Odabasi, H. Ferhan; Kuzu, Abdullah

2011-01-01

This study explored the views of pre-service teachers regarding the indicators of information and communication technologies (ICT) at Turkish education faculties. A cross-sectional survey design was implemented with graduating students enrolled in Turkish education faculties. A combination of stratified random sampling and systematic sampling was…

Motivational Factors and Teachers Commitment in Public Secondary Schools in Mbale Municipality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olurotimi, Ogunlade Joseph; Asad, Kamonges Wahab; Abdulrauf, Abdulkadir

2015-01-01

The study investigated the influence of motivational factors on teachers' commitment in public Secondary School in Mbale Municipality. The study employed Cross-sectional survey design. The sampling technique used to select was simple random sampling technique. The instrument used to collect data was a self designed questionnaire. The data…

Political and environmental attitude toward participatory energy and environmental governance: A survey in post-Fukushima Japan.

PubMed

Nakamura, Hidenori

2017-10-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Fukushima nuclear accident triggered citizen dialogue on energy and environmental management in Japan. However, an international survey has shown that the willingness of Japanese citizens to participate in political and social activities has declined since the Fukushima accident. Employing an internet-based survey in four urban or nuclear power plant-hosting prefectures in Japan, this study examines the willingness to participate in random sampling deliberation on post-disaster energy and environmental policy. It focuses on the effects of political, environmental, and social attitudes towards willingness to participate in citizen dialogue. The survey shows around 40% of respondents may participate in energy and environmental deliberation. Statistical analysis reveals that environmental consciousness raises the propensity to participate in deliberation, while political obedience and social hesitation decreases the will to participate. The effect of environmental attitudes is larger than that of political and social attitudes. The survey also finds that governmental response to deliberation, i.e., information generation and disclosure based on requests from citizen dialogue, encourages participation in deliberation in a conservative prefecture, when citizen dialogue is held at the national level. Random sampling deliberation opens a new mode of environmental governance regardless of local political and social characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health Surveys Using Mobile Phones in Developing Countries: Automated Active Strata Monitoring and Other Statistical Considerations for Improving Precision and Reducing Biases

PubMed Central

Blynn, Emily; Ahmed, Saifuddin; Gibson, Dustin; Pariyo, George; Hyder, Adnan A

2017-01-01

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), historically, household surveys have been carried out by face-to-face interviews to collect survey data related to risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. The proliferation of mobile phone ownership and the access it provides in these countries offers a new opportunity to remotely conduct surveys with increased efficiency and reduced cost. However, the near-ubiquitous ownership of phones, high population mobility, and low cost require a re-examination of statistical recommendations for mobile phone surveys (MPS), especially when surveys are automated. As with landline surveys, random digit dialing remains the most appropriate approach to develop an ideal survey-sampling frame. Once the survey is complete, poststratification weights are generally applied to reduce estimate bias and to adjust for selectivity due to mobile ownership. Since weights increase design effects and reduce sampling efficiency, we introduce the concept of automated active strata monitoring to improve representativeness of the sample distribution to that of the source population. Although some statistical challenges remain, MPS represent a promising emerging means for population-level data collection in LMICs. PMID:28476726

Feeding Tube Placement in Patients with Advanced Dementia: The Beliefs and Practice Patterns of Speech-Language Pathologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Helen M.; Shega, Joseph W.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To describe the beliefs and practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) about the use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) among patients with advanced dementia and dysphagia. Method: A survey was mailed to a geographically stratified random sample of 1,050 medical SLPs. Results: The response rate was 57%, and 326 surveys met…

High School Teachers Use of Writing to Support Students' Learning: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, Amy; Graham, Steve; Kiuhara, Sharlene; Hebert, Michael

2014-01-01

A random sample of language arts, social studies, science, and math high school teachers from across the United States were surveyed about their use of writing to support student learning. Four out of every five teachers reported they used writing to support student learning, applying on average 24 different writing activities across the school…

Teaching Writing in Grades 4-6 in Urban Schools in the Greater China Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiang, Tien Ping; Graham, Steve

2016-01-01

A random sample of 1102 grade 4-6 Chinese language arts teachers in Beijing, Macao, and Taipei City were surveyed about their instructional writing practices. Seventy-eight percent (n = 857) of the teachers completed the survey. Teachers were generally positive about the usefulness of their college teacher preparation program. They slightly agreed…

Survey of Students and Non-Students about Continuing Education Market Place. Volume XXIV, Number 16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucas, John A.; And Others

To evaluate the outreach and marketing efforts for its non-credit offerings, William Rainey Harper College in Illinois conducted a study of recent continuing education students in spring 1996. First, a random sample of 200 former students who had enrolled in continuing education courses in the past 5 years was surveyed, receiving 57 completed…

Dentists' Preferences for Diagnosis, Management and Referral of Chronic Oro-Facial Pain: Results from a National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aggarwal, Vishal R.; Joughin, Amy; Zakrzewska, Joanna; Appelbe, Priscilla; Tickle, Martin

2012-01-01

Aim: To explore the diagnosis, treatment and referral patterns of chronic oro-facial pain patients by generalist primary care dentists (GDPs) in the UK. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a non-stratified random sample of 500 GDPs who were selected from the General Dental Council register. A self-complete postal questionnaire…

The Relationship between Special Education Teachers' Sense of Teacher Efficacy and Their Intent to Leave

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarty, Kristine A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine if there is a predictive relationship among special education teachers' sense of teacher efficacy and intent to leave while accounting for job satisfaction and a special education teacher's perceptions of principal support. Electronic surveys were sent via Survey Monkey to a random sample of…

Older Adult Participation in Higher Education. New Roles for Older Arkansans as Students and Educational Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Lou; And Others

A random sample survey of people aged 50 and older was conducted to study the educational interests of older residents of Pulaski County, Arkansas. Telephone surveys were completed for 346 individuals. Findings showed that almost 85 percent of the respondents indicated an interest in education. Two-thirds of the respondents were women; 62 percent…

Addressing Inadequacies of the Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Agostino, Jerome V.; Rodgers, Emily; Mauck, Susan

2018-01-01

The authors used nationally based, random sample data from three different years (2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2014-2015) for nearly 20,000 first-grade students (n = 9,760, 3,657, and 3,121, respectively) to examine long-reported inadequacies of a commonly used early literacy assessment tool, the Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement…

Baseline Survey of Sun Protection Policies and Practices in Primary School Settings in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeder, A. I.; Jopson, J. A.; Gray, A.

2009-01-01

The SunSmart Schools Accreditation Programme (SSAP) was launched as a national programme in October 2005 to help reduce the risk of excessive child exposure to ultraviolet radiation. As part of the need for evaluation, this paper reports the findings of a national survey of a randomly selected sample of approximately 12% of New Zealand primary…

An Analysis of Methods Used To Reduce Nonresponse Bias in Survey Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Victoria A.

The effectiveness of five methods used to estimate the population parameters of a variable of interest from a random sample in the presence of non-response to mail surveys was tested in conditions that vary the return rate and the relationship of the variable of interest to the likelihood of response. Data from 125,092 adult Alabama residents in…

Exploring the Icebergs of Adult Learning: Findings of the First Canadian Survey of Informal Learning Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livingstone, D. W.

The extent and distribution of self-reported learning activities in the current Canadian adult population was estimated on the basis of data collected during a 1998 telephone survey of a sample of 1,562 Canadian adults. Random digital dialing was used to give all provinces, households, and individuals within households an equal chance of…

Determinants of Tracking Intentions, and Actual Education Choices among Junior High School Students in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Yingquan; Loyalka, Prashant; Wei, Jianguo

2013-01-01

This article analyzes rural middle school students' tracking intentions (academic high school, vocational high school, or going to work), actual education choices, and the factors affecting them, using a random sampled baseline survey and follow-up survey of 2,216 second-year students residing outside of county seats in forty-one impoverished…

Foodservice trends in the elderly nutrition program.

PubMed

Balsam, A L; Rogers, B L

1989-01-01

The foodservice delivery aspects of the federally-funded Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) were examined via an original survey instrument sent to a random sample of nutrition projects nationally. In comparison to a similar survey conducted a decade ago, projects were more apt to rely on a combination of foodservice mechanisms including caterer contracts, on-site preparation, and use of central kitchens.

Weight Status in Iranian Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Investigation of Underweight, Overweight and Obesity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Memari, Amir Hossein; Kordi, Ramin; Ziaee, Vahid; Mirfazeli, Fatemeh Sadat; Setoodeh, Mohammad S.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to survey the weight status of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in Iranian pupils and further to investigate the most likely associated factors such as demographics, autism severity and medications. The survey was designed to provide a random sample of 113 children and adolescents (boys =…

Scholars' Satisfaction with Digital Library Collection and Gaps in the Provision of Effective Information Resources and Services: A Pakistani Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Amjid; Ahmed, Shamshad; Masrek, Mohamad Noorman

2014-01-01

The study aims to explore the researchers' satisfaction with digital library resources and services and how they improved the research culture in Pakistani universities. A descriptive survey method was employed to achieve objectives of this study. Using stratified random sampling, for this survey we selected 14 public sector universities of Khyber…

Preliminary report on the ecology of Armillaria in the East Cascades of Oregon

Treesearch

Geral I. McDonald; John W. Hanna; Aaron L. Smith; Helen M. Maffei; Mee-Sook Kim; Amy L. Ross-Davis; Ned B. Klopfenstein

2011-01-01

As part of a larger effort to assess the distribution and ecology of Armillaria species throughout western North America, we present preliminary survey results for the East Cascades of Oregon. Surveys and sampling were conducted on 260 0.04-ha plots, which were randomly located across diverse environments and geographic locations. Using DNA-based techniques for the...

Use of Digital Technology and Support Software Programs in the Private Dental Offices in Nevada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fattore-Bruno, LaDeane

2009-01-01

The purpose of this survey research was to determine the diffusion of digital radiography, the electronic oral health record (EOHR), digital intraoral photography, and diagnosis and clinical decision-making support software into the dental offices of Nevada. A cross-sectional survey design was utilized with a random sample of 600 Nevada dentists.…

The Missing Link: Workplace Education in Small Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BCEL Newsletter for the Business & Literacy Communities, 1992

1992-01-01

A study sought to determine how and why small businesses invest or do not invest in basic skills instruction for their workers. Data were gathered through a national mail and telephone survey of a random sampling of 11,000 small (50 or fewer employees) and medium-sized (51-400 employees) firms, a targeted mail survey of 4,317 manufacturers, a…

The Commissioning and Provision of Advocacy for Problem Drug Users in English DATS: A Cross-Sectional Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cargill, Tamsin; Weaver, Tim D.; Patterson, Sue

2012-01-01

Aims: This study investigated the commissioning and delivery of advocacy for problem drug users. We aimed to quantify provision, describe the commissioning of advocacy services in Drug Action Teams (DATs) and to identify factors influencing advocacy provision. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of 50 English DATs. The…

Human Capital Planning in Higher Education Institutions: A Strategic Human Resource Development Initiative in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khasawneh, Samer

2011-01-01

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study is to determine the status of human capital planning in higher education institutions in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach: A random sample of 120 faculty members (in administrative positions) responded to a human capital planning (HCP) survey. The survey consisted of a pool of 38 items distributed over…

Preparation and Transition: The Transfer Relationship between Lane Community College and the University of Oregon.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kempner, Ken; And Others

In 1991, a survey was sent to a random sample of University of Oregon (UO) students who had attended Lane Community College (LCC) between winter 1988 and spring 1990. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the perceptions and opinions of former LCC students concerning their community college and transfer experiences. Major findings, based on…

Sampling designs for HIV molecular epidemiology with application to Honduras.

PubMed

Shepherd, Bryan E; Rossini, Anthony J; Soto, Ramon Jeremias; De Rivera, Ivette Lorenzana; Mullins, James I

2005-11-01

Proper sampling is essential to characterize the molecular epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV sampling frames are difficult to identify, so most studies use convenience samples. We discuss statistically valid and feasible sampling techniques that overcome some of the potential for bias due to convenience sampling and ensure better representation of the study population. We employ a sampling design called stratified cluster sampling. This first divides the population into geographical and/or social strata. Within each stratum, a population of clusters is chosen from groups, locations, or facilities where HIV-positive individuals might be found. Some clusters are randomly selected within strata and individuals are randomly selected within clusters. Variation and cost help determine the number of clusters and the number of individuals within clusters that are to be sampled. We illustrate the approach through a study designed to survey the heterogeneity of subtype B strains in Honduras.

An exploratory study of Taiwanese consumers' experiences of using health-related websites.

PubMed

Hsu, Li-Ling

2005-06-01

It is manifest that the rapid growth of Internet use and improvement of information technology have changed our lifestyles. In recent years, Internet use in Taiwan has increased dramatically, from 3 million users in 1998 to approximately 8.6 million by the end of 2002. The statistics imply that not only health care professionals but also laypersons rely on the Internet for health information. The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwan consumers' preferences and information needs, and the problems they encountered when getting information from medical websites. Using simple random sampling and systematic random sampling, a survey was conducted in Taipei from August 26, 2002 to October 30, 2002. Using simple random sampling and systematic random sampling, 28 boroughs (Li) were selected; the total sample number was 1043. Over one-quarter (26.8 %) of the respondents reported having never accessed the Internet, while 763 (73.2%) reported having accessed the Internet. Of the Internet users, only 396 (51.9%) had accessed health-related websites, and 367 (48.1%) reported having never accessed health-related websites. The most popular topics were disease information (46.5%), followed by diet consultation (34.8%), medical news (28.5%), and cosmetology (28.5%). The results of the survey show that a large percentage of people in Taiwan have never made good use of health information available on the websites. The reasons for not using the websites included a lack of time or Internet access skills, no motivation, dissatisfaction with the information, unreliable information be provided, and inability to locate the information needed. The author recommends to enhance health information access skills, understand the needs and preferences of consumers, promote the quality of medical websites, and improve the functions of medical websites.

Parents and the V-Chip: A Kaiser Family Foundation Survey. How Parents Feel (and What They Know) about TV, the V-Chip, and the TV Ratings System. Toplines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1999

This report presents the data from a national, random sample survey designed by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) and conducted by PSRA by telephone between April 6-26, 1999, when 1001 parents of children ages 2-17 were interviewed about their opinions of television, the V-Chip, and the TV ratings system.…

45 CFR 5b.11 - Exempt systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Random Samples of the U.S. Population; (B) The Health Manpower Inventories and Surveys; (C) The Vital... is exempt under subsection (k)(2) of the Act and the individual has been, as a result of the...

45 CFR 5b.11 - Exempt systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Random Samples of the U.S. Population; (B) The Health Manpower Inventories and Surveys; (C) The Vital... is exempt under subsection (k)(2) of the Act and the individual has been, as a result of the...

Creel survey sampling designs for estimating effort in short-duration Chinook salmon fisheries

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCormick, Joshua L.; Quist, Michael C.; Schill, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha sport fisheries in the Columbia River basin are commonly monitored using roving creel survey designs and require precise, unbiased catch estimates. The objective of this study was to examine the relative bias and precision of total catch estimates using various sampling designs to estimate angling effort under the assumption that mean catch rate was known. We obtained information on angling populations based on direct visual observations of portions of Chinook Salmon fisheries in three Idaho river systems over a 23-d period. Based on the angling population, Monte Carlo simulations were used to evaluate the properties of effort and catch estimates for each sampling design. All sampling designs evaluated were relatively unbiased. Systematic random sampling (SYS) resulted in the most precise estimates. The SYS and simple random sampling designs had mean square error (MSE) estimates that were generally half of those observed with cluster sampling designs. The SYS design was more efficient (i.e., higher accuracy per unit cost) than a two-cluster design. Increasing the number of clusters available for sampling within a day decreased the MSE of estimates of daily angling effort, but the MSE of total catch estimates was variable depending on the fishery. The results of our simulations provide guidelines on the relative influence of sample sizes and sampling designs on parameters of interest in short-duration Chinook Salmon fisheries.

Sampling design for an integrated socioeconomic and ecological survey by using satellite remote sensing and ordination

PubMed Central

Binford, Michael W.; Lee, Tae Jeong; Townsend, Robert M.

2004-01-01

Environmental variability is an important risk factor in rural agricultural communities. Testing models requires empirical sampling that generates data that are representative in both economic and ecological domains. Detrended correspondence analysis of satellite remote sensing data were used to design an effective low-cost sampling protocol for a field study to create an integrated socioeconomic and ecological database when no prior information on ecology of the survey area existed. We stratified the sample for the selection of tambons from various preselected provinces in Thailand based on factor analysis of spectral land-cover classes derived from satellite data. We conducted the survey for the sampled villages in the chosen tambons. The resulting data capture interesting variations in soil productivity and in the timing of good and bad years, which a purely random sample would likely have missed. Thus, this database will allow tests of hypotheses concerning the effect of credit on productivity, the sharing of idiosyncratic risks, and the economic influence of environmental variability. PMID:15254298

Design and operation of the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2009-2010.

PubMed

Bramlett, Matthew D; Blumberg, Stephen J; Ormson, A Elizabeth; George, Jacquelyn M; Williams, Kim L; Frasier, Alicia M; Skalland, Benjamin J; Santos, Kathleen B; Vsetecka, Danielle M; Morrison, Heather M; Pedlow, Steven; Wang, Fang

2014-11-01

This report presents the development, plan, and operation of the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, a module of the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey. The survey is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. This survey was designed to produce national and state-specific prevalence estimates of children with special health care needs (CSHCN), to describe the types of services that they need and use, and to assess aspects of the system of care for CSHCN. A random-digit-dial sample of households with children under age 18 years was constructed for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The sampling frame consisted of landline phone numbers and cellular(cell) phone numbers of households that reported a cell-phone-only or cell-phone-mainly status. Children in identified households were screened for special health care needs. If CSHCN were identified in the household, a detailed interview was conducted for one randomly selected child with special health care needs. Respondents were parents or guardians who knew about the children's health and health care. A total of 196,159 household screening interviews were completed from July 2009 through March 2011, resulting in 40,242 completed special-needs interviews, including 2,991 from cell-phone interviews. The weighted overall response rate was 43.7% for the landline sample, 15.2% for the cell-phone sample, and 25.5% overall. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Survey of Obstetrician-Gynecologists in the United States About Toxoplasmosis

PubMed Central

Dietz, Vance J.; Power, Michael; Lopez, Adriana; Wilson, Marianna; Navin, Thomas R.; Gibbs, Ronald; Schulkin, Jay

2001-01-01

Background: Although the incidence of toxoplasmosis is low in the United States, up to 6000 congenital cases occur annually. In September 1998, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a conference about toxoplasmosis; participants recommended a survey of the toxoplasmosis-related knowledge and practices of obstetrician-gynecologists and the development of professional educational materials for them. Methods: In the fall of 1999, surveys were mailed to a 2% random sample of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) members and to a demographically representative group of ACOGmembers known as the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network (CARN). Responses were not significantly different for the random and CARN groups for most questions (p value shown when different). Results: Among 768 US practicing ACOG members surveyed, 364 (47%) responded. Seven per cent (CARN 10%, random 5%) had diagnosed one or more case(s) of acute toxoplasmosis in the past year. Respondents were well-informed about how to prevent toxoplasmosis. However, only 12% (CARN 11%, random 12%) indicated that a positive Toxoplasma IgM test might be a false–positive result, and only 11% (CARN 14%, random 9%) were aware that the Food and Drug Administration sent an advisory to all ACOG members in 1997 stating that some Toxoplasma IgM test kits have high false–positive rates. Most of those surveyed (CARN 70%, random 59%; X2 p < 0.05) were opposed to universal screening of pregnant women. Conclusions: Many US obstetrician-gynecologists will encounter acute toxoplasmosis during their careers, but they are frequently uncertain about interpretation of the laboratory tests for the disease. Most would not recommend universal screening of pregnant women. PMID:11368255

Design of a national and regional survey among French general practitioners and method of the first wave of survey dedicated to vaccination.

PubMed

Le Maréchal, M; Collange, F; Fressard, L; Peretti-Watel, P; Sebbah, R; Mikol, F; Agamaliyev, E; Gautier, A; Pulcini, C; Verger, P

2015-10-01

France is currently facing a vaccine-hesitancy crisis. We conducted a questionnaire-based telephone interview with a large sample of general practitioners (GPs) as they play a crucial role in the vaccination process. Our main objectives were to study the GPs' vaccination behaviors when it comes to their own vaccination and that of their relatives, and the vaccine recommendations made to their patients. We also aimed to understand their opinion related to the severity of vaccine-preventable diseases and to assess their trust in various sources of information. Finally, we enquired about their opinion in terms of vaccination-related tools that could help them in their daily practice. The article aimed to present the design of this panel and survey. Four samples of GPs (one national and three regional) were selected among all the French GPs (metropolitan France) using random sampling. Five cross-sectional surveys should be conducted with that panel. The mean targeted sample size is 2350 GPs for each survey. The survey dedicated to vaccination was conducted by telephone or on the Internet. GPs were included in the survey between December 2013 and February 2014. The national sample included 1582 GPs (response rate: 46%) and the three regional samples included 1297 GPs (response rate: 44%). The survey dedicated to vaccination was conducted between April and July 2014; the national sample response rate was 92% (1582/1712). The results of the first wave of surveys, conducted on a large sample of French GPs, provide important information to guide the French vaccination policy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Risk Profile of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Beijing, China: Results from a Cross-sectional Survey with Randomized Response Techniques.

PubMed

Geng, Guo-Zhu; Gao, Ge; Ruan, Yu-Hua; Yu, Ming-Run; Zhou, Yun-Hua

2016-03-05

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is spreading rapidly among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. Anonymous questionnaires or direct interviews have been frequently used to study their behavior. The aim of the study was to describe the behavioral risk profile of the MSM in Beijing using the randomized response techniques (RRTs). A cross-sectional survey of sexual behavior among a sample of MSM was conducted in two HIV counseling and testing clinics in Beijing. The survey was carried out with an anonymous questionnaire containing sensitive questions on sexual behavior. To obtain the honest responses to the sensitive questions, three distinctive RRTs were used in the questionnaire: (1) Additive randomized response model for quantitative questions, (2) randomized response model for multiple choice questions, and (3) Simmons randomized response model for binomial questions. Formulae for the point estimate, variance, and confidence interval (CI) were provided for each specific model. Using RRTs in a sample of 659 participants, the mean age at first homosexual encounter was estimated to be 21.7 years (95% CI: 21.2-22.2), and each had sex with about three (2.9, 95% CI: 2.4-3.4) male partners on average in the past month. The estimated rate for consistent condom use was 56.4% (95% CI: 50.1-62.8%). In addition, condom was estimated to be used among 80.0% (95% CI: 74.1-85.9%) of the population during last anal sex with a male partner. Our study employed RRTs in a survey containing questions on sexual behavior among MSM, and the results showed that RRT might be a useful tool to obtain truthful feedback on sensitive information such as sexual behavior from the respondents, especially in traditional Chinese cultural settings.

Computer methods for sampling from the gamma distribution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, M.E.; Tadikamalla, P.R.

1978-01-01

Considerable attention has recently been directed at developing ever faster algorithms for generating gamma random variates on digital computers. This paper surveys the current state of the art including the leading algorithms of Ahrens and Dieter, Atkinson, Cheng, Fishman, Marsaglia, Tadikamalla, and Wallace. General random variate generation techniques are explained with reference to these gamma algorithms. Computer simulation experiments on IBM and CDC computers are reported.

Does Mailing a Post Card to Students Improve Response Rates? Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Raeal; Earnhart, Benjamin

2017-01-01

A random sample of students who took the ACT test in either April or June of 2016 were invited to participate in an online survey via an email invitation (N = 35,0471). To study whether mailing post card invitations to students improves response rates, a portion of these test-takers were randomly assigned to be sent a post card. In addition,…

A Survey of Secondary School Students' Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Use of Drugs by Teenagers. Part I, Part II, Part III.; A Survey of Secondary School Teachers' Perceptions of the Role of the Schools in Dealing with Teenage Drug Use. A General Overview of Survey Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD.

Three volumes report the findings of a student survey among a random sample of 2,777 junior high and senior high school students. Volume one presents the overall findings: the typical student believes that drug use and experimentation are not common, except for marihuana, alcohol, cigarettes, and glue; believes that drug use is increasing; is not…

How well do we know the infaunal biomass of the continental shelf?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Eric N.; Mann, Roger

2016-03-01

Benthic infauna comprise a wide range of taxa of varying abundances and sizes, but large infaunal taxa are infrequently recorded in community surveys of the shelf benthos. These larger, but numerically rare, species may contribute disproportionately to biomass, however. We examine the degree to which standard benthic sampling gear and survey design provide an adequate estimate of the biomass of large infauna using the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima, on the continental shelf off the northeastern coast of the United States as a test organism. We develop a numerical model that simulates standard survey designs, gear types, and sampling densities to evaluate the effectiveness of vertically-dropped sampling gear (e.g., boxcores, grabs) for estimating density of large species. Simulations of randomly distributed clams at a density of 0.5-1 m-2 within an 0.25-km2 domain show that lower sampling densities (1-5 samples per sampling event) resulted in highly inaccurate estimates of clam density with the presence of clams detected in less than 25% of the sampling events. In all cases in which patchiness was present in the simulated clam population, surveys were prone to very large errors (survey availability events) unless a dense (e.g., 100-sample) sampling protocol was imposed. Thus, commercial quantities of surfclams could easily go completely undetected by any standard benthic community survey protocol using vertically-dropped gear. Without recourse to modern high-volume sampling gear capable of sampling many meters at a swath, such as hydraulic dredges, biomass of the continental shelf will be grievously underestimated if large infauna are present even at moderate densities.

National survey of physicians to determine the effect of unconditional incentives on response rates of physician postal surveys

PubMed Central

Abdulaziz, Kasim; Brehaut, Jamie; Taljaard, Monica; Émond, Marcel; Sirois, Marie-Josée; Lee, Jacques S; Wilding, Laura; Perry, Jeffrey J

2015-01-01

Objectives Physicians are a commonly targeted group in health research surveys, but their response rates are often relatively low. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the effect of unconditional incentives in the form of a coffee card on physician postal survey response rates. Design Following 13 key informant interviews and eight cognitive interviews a survey questionnaire was developed. Participants A random sample of 534 physicians, stratified by physician group (geriatricians, family physicians, emergency physicians) was selected from a national medical directory. Setting Using computer generated random numbers; half of the physicians in each stratum were allocated to receive a coffee card to a popular national coffee chain together with the first survey mailout. Interventions The intervention was a $10 Tim Hortons gift card given to half of the physicians who were randomly allocated to receive the incentive. Results 265 (57.0%) physicians completed the survey. The response rate was significantly higher in the group allocated to receive the incentive (62.7% vs 51.3% in the control group; p=0.01). Conclusions Our results indicate that an unconditional incentive in the form of a coffee gift card can substantially improve physician response rates. Future research can look at the effect of varying amounts of cash on the gift cards on response rates. PMID:25694460

An Employee Total Health Management–Based Survey of Iowa Employers

PubMed Central

Merchant, James A.; Lind, David P.; Kelly, Kevin M.; Hall, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

Objective To implement an Employee Total Health Management (ETHM) model-based questionnaire and provide estimates of model program elements among a statewide sample of Iowa employers. Methods Survey a stratified random sample of Iowa employers, characterize and estimate employer participation in ETHM program elements Results Iowa employers are implementing under 30% of all 12 components of ETHM, with the exception of occupational safety and health (46.6%) and worker compensation insurance coverage (89.2%), but intend modest expansion of all components in the coming year. Conclusions The Employee Total Health Management questionnaire-based survey provides estimates of progress Iowa employers are making toward implementing components of total worker health programs. PMID:24284757

Field substitution of nonresponders can maintain sample size and structure without altering survey estimates-the experience of the Italian behavioral risk factors surveillance system (PASSI).

PubMed

Baldissera, Sandro; Ferrante, Gianluigi; Quarchioni, Elisa; Minardi, Valentina; Possenti, Valentina; Carrozzi, Giuliano; Masocco, Maria; Salmaso, Stefania

2014-04-01

Field substitution of nonrespondents can be used to maintain the planned sample size and structure in surveys but may introduce additional bias. Sample weighting is suggested as the preferable alternative; however, limited empirical evidence exists comparing the two methods. We wanted to assess the impact of substitution on surveillance results using data from Progressi delle Aziende Sanitarie per la Salute in Italia-Progress by Local Health Units towards a Healthier Italy (PASSI). PASSI is conducted by Local Health Units (LHUs) through telephone interviews of stratified random samples of residents. Nonrespondents are replaced with substitutes randomly preselected in the same LHU stratum. We compared the weighted estimates obtained in the original PASSI sample (used as a reference) and in the substitutes' sample. The differences were evaluated using a Wald test. In 2011, 50,697 units were selected: 37,252 were from the original sample and 13,445 were substitutes; 37,162 persons were interviewed. The initially planned size and demographic composition were restored. No significant differences in the estimates between the original and the substitutes' sample were found. In our experience, field substitution is an acceptable method for dealing with nonresponse, maintaining the characteristics of the original sample without affecting the results. This evidence can support appropriate decisions about planning and implementing a surveillance system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Provider-related barriers to rapid HIV testing in U.S. urban non-profit community clinics, community-based organizations (CBOs) and hospitals.

PubMed

Bogart, Laura M; Howerton, Devery; Lange, James; Setodji, Claude Messan; Becker, Kirsten; Klein, David J; Asch, Steven M

2010-06-01

We examined provider-reported barriers to rapid HIV testing in U.S. urban non-profit community clinics, community-based organizations (CBOs), and hospitals. 12 primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs; three per region) were sampled randomly, with sampling weights proportional to AIDS case reports. Across PMSAs, all 671 hospitals and a random sample of 738 clinics/CBOs were telephoned for a survey on rapid HIV test availability. Of the 671 hospitals, 172 hospitals were randomly selected for barriers questions, for which 158 laboratory and 136 department staff were eligible and interviewed in 2005. Of the 738 clinics/CBOs, 276 were randomly selected for barriers questions, 206 were reached, and 118 were eligible and interviewed in 2005-2006. In multivariate models, barriers regarding translation of administrative/quality assurance policies into practice were significantly associated with rapid HIV testing availability. For greater rapid testing diffusion, policies are needed to reduce administrative barriers and provide quality assurance training to non-laboratory staff.

Emotional, Social, Educational Adjustment of Higher Secondary School Students in Relation to Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekar, J. Master Arul; Lawrence, A.S. Arul

2016-01-01

The present study aims to investigate whether there is any significant relationship between adjustment and academic achievement of higher secondary school students. In this survey study, the investigators used stratified random sampling technique for selecting the sample from the population. The stratification was done on the basis of gender and…

Analyzing the Relationship between Positive Psychological Capital and Organizational Commitment of the Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalcin, Sinan

2016-01-01

In this study it was aimed to determine the relationship between teachers' positive psychological capital levels and organisational commitment. The study was conducted as a correlational survey which is one of the quantitative methods. The sample group consists of 244 teachers selected by using random sampling method among 1270 teachers working in…

Elder Abuse and Black Americans: Incidence, Correlates, Treatment and Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cazenave, Noel A.

Existing evidence on family violence rates by age and race as well as the available data on race and physical elder abuse incidence rates suggests that because such data are not based on random or representative samples and tend to reflect a "sampling artifact" of the particular client populations served by the professionals surveyed,…

Health Outcomes in Adolescence: Associations with Family, Friends and School Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Melissa; McGee, Rob; Taylor, Barry; Williams, Sheila

2007-01-01

Aim: To examine the associations between connectedness to family and friends, and school engagement, and selected health compromising and health promoting behaviours in a sample of New Zealand adolescents. Methods: A web-based survey was designed and administered to a random sample of 652 Year 11 students aged 16 years from all Dunedin (NZ) high…

Employment Opportunities in Applied Biological and Agricultural Occupations in the Metropolitan Area of Chicago.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Hollie B.; Neavill, Arthur

Based on questionnaire data collected from a sample of employers, this phase of a larger research project ascertained employment opportunities in the area of applied biological and agricultural occupations in the metropolitan area of Chicago. Specific fields of business surveyed by stratified random sample were animal care, animal health care,…

Considering the Crossroads of Distance Education: The Experiences of Instructors as They Transitioned to Online or Blended Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, David D.

2016-01-01

In the short history of online education research, researchers studying teacher experiences regularly relied on anecdotal examples or small samples. In this research, we sought to support and enhance previous findings concerning the best practices in online education by performing randomly sampled, nationwide survey of online and blended course…

Use of Nutritional Information in Canada: National Trends between 2004 and 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Samantha; Hammond, David; Pillo-Blocka, Francy; Glanville, Theresa; Jenkins, Richard

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine longitudinal trends in use of nutrition information among Canadians. Design: Population-based telephone and Internet surveys. Setting and Participants: Representative samples of Canadian adults recruited with random-digit dialing sampling in 2004 (n = 2,405) and 2006 (n = 2,014) and an online commercial panel in 2008 (n =…

Getting Ahead: A Survey of Low-Wage Workers on Opportunities for Advancement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lake Snell Perry & Associates, Inc., Washington, DC.

A nationwide sample of low-wage workers was conducted to ascertain their attitudes and experience regarding opportunities for advancement. Professional interviewers conducted telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,002 adults who work outside the home at least 30 hours per week and earn up to 200% of the federal poverty level. The…

The public's preparedness: self-reliance, flashbulb memories, and conservative values.

PubMed

Greenberg, Michael R; Dyen, Susannah; Elliott, Stacey

2013-06-01

We surveyed how many US residents engaged in 6 preparedness activities and measured the relationship between engagement and personal experience in hazard events, flashbulb memories of major events, self-reliance, and other indicators of a conservative philosophy. We used random digit dialing for national landline (75%) and cell phone (25%) surveys of 1930 US residents from July 6, 2011, to September 9, 2011; 1080 of the sample lived near 6 US Department of Energy nuclear waste management facilities and 850 were a national random sample. The median respondent engaged in 3 of the 6 activities; those who disproportionately engaged in 4 or more had experienced a hazard event, had distressing and strong flashbulb memories of major hazard events, and had strong feelings about the need for greater self-reliance. The results for the national and US Department of Energy site-specific surveys were almost identical. A cadre of US residents are disproportionately engaged in disaster preparedness, and they typically have stronger negative memories of past disasters and tend to be self-reliant. How their efforts can or should be integrated into local preparedness efforts is unclear.

Victimization by Bullying and Harassment in High School: Findings from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in a Southwestern State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauman, Sheri

2008-01-01

This study analyzed data on victimization by bullying and harassment on school property in a large, diverse, random sample of high school students in Arizona using data from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. No gender differences in frequency of victimization were detected, but differences by grade, Body Mass Index category, academic…

Creating Message Strategies for an AIDS Campaign: A Survey of the Basis of Student Awareness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brislin, Tom; Miyamoto, Craig T.

A study assessed the general knowledge of AIDS and its prevention among college students, and determined the source of that knowledge. A class of 17 senior-level journalism students used a focus group approach to select the most useful questions about AIDS and its prevention. The survey was administered by telephone to a random sample of 372…

Entry-Level Doctorate for Occupational Therapists: An Assessment of Attitudes of Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCombie, Randy P.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) on their attitudes toward a possible move to the entry-level doctorate as the mandated singular point of entry into the profession for OTs. Method: The study surveyed a random sample of 600 OTs and 600 OTAs from two…

Teachers Use of Writing to Support Students' Learning in Middle School: A National Survey in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Amber B.; Graham, Steve; Houston, Julia D.; Harris, Karen R.

2016-01-01

A random sample of middle school teachers (grades 6-9) from across the United States was surveyed about their use of writing to support students' learning. The selection process was stratified so there were an equal number of English language arts, social studies, and science teachers. More than one-half of the teachers reported applying 15 or…

The Davis Social Environment-1990: A Report of Student Opinions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Jane M.

A study was done to examine student opinion of the social environment on the University of California Davis campus in Spring 1990 as a follow up to a similar study conducted in 1987. The study used the Student Opinion Survey and mailed it to a stratified random sample of 1,649 students. Of the surveys sent, 57.7 percent were returned. The…

A Structural Examination of Academic Integration, Perceived Stress, Academic Performance, and Goal Commitment from an Elaborated Model of Adult Student Persistence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandler, Martin E.

The effects of selected variables on the academic persistence of adult students were examined in a study of a random sample of 469 adult students aged 24 years or older enrolled in a four-year college. The survey questionnaire, the Adult Student Experiences Survey, collected data regarding 12 endogenous variables and 13 exogenous variables…

A Longitudinal Study of Illinois State Scholarship Commission Monetary Award Recipients, 1967-1974.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Joseph D.; Fenske, Robert H.

The present effectiveness and future direction of monetary award programs administered by the Illinois State Scholarship Commission is examined in three surveys. A random sample of 1,000 was drawn from the total number of scholarship recipients during the 1967-68 and 1970-71 academic years; 2,000 from the 1973-74 survey. It is shown that: (1)…

Use of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to Monitor Trends for Nutrition and Physical Activity in a Midwest City School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jane U.; Magel, Rhonda

2007-01-01

Background: The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was used by a city school district (approximately 11,000 students) in the upper Midwest to monitor trends for nutrition and physical activity (PA) behaviors both within and between years and to compare with national 2003 data. Methods: Independent random samples were obtained in 1999 (387 middle…

Child Injury Prevention in the Home: A National Survey of Safety Practices and Use of Safety Equipment in Deprived Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulvaney, C. A.; Watson, M. C.; Smith, S.; Coupland, C.; Kendrick, D.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the prevalence of home safety practices and use of safety equipment by disadvantaged families participating in a national home safety equipment scheme in England. Design: Cross-sectional postal survey sent to a random sample of 1,000 families. Setting: England, United Kingdom. Results: Half the families (51%) returned a…

Spring 1977 Survey of the Goals and Achievements of Students Enrolled in Spring 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stankovich, Mary Jo

A student follow-up study was conducted to determine the educational and career goals of students who were enrolled at Macomb County Community College (MCCC) and the degree to which they felt their goals had been met. A random sample of 2,066 students enrolled in Spring 1973 were surveyed by questionnaire in June 1977; 983 (55.9%) responded. The…

A Bayesian Hierarchical Model for Large-Scale Educational Surveys: An Application to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Research Report. ETS RR-04-38

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Matthew S.; Jenkins, Frank

2005-01-01

Large-scale educational assessments such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) sample examinees to whom an exam will be administered. In most situations the sampling design is not a simple random sample and must be accounted for in the estimating model. After reviewing the current operational estimation procedure for NAEP, this…

Topological analysis of the CfA redshift survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogeley, Michael S.; Park, Changbom; Geller, Margaret J.; Huchra, John P.; Gott, J. Richard, III

1994-01-01

We study the topology of large-scale structure in the Center for Astrophysics Redshift Survey, which now includes approximately 12,000 galaxies with limiting magnitude m(sub B) is less than or equal to 15.5. The dense sampling and large volume of this survey allow us to compute the topology on smoothing scales from 6 to 20/h Mpc; we thus examine the topology of structure in both 'nonlinear' and 'linear' regimes. On smoothing scales less than or equal to 10/h Mpc this sample has 3 times the number of resolution elements of samples examined in previous studies. Isodensity surface of the smoothed galaxy density field demonstrate that coherent high-density structures and large voids dominate the galaxy distribution. We compute the genus-threshold density relation for isodensity surfaces of the CfA survey. To quantify phase correlation in these data, we compare the CfA genus with the genus of realizations of Gaussian random fields with the power spectrum measured for the CfA survey. On scales less than or equal to 10/h Mpc the observed genus amplitude is smaller than random phase (96% confidence level). This decrement reflects the degree of phase coherence in the observed galaxy distribution. In other words the genus amplitude on these scales is not good measure of the power spectrum slope. On scales greater than 10/h Mpc, where the galaxy distribution is rougly in the 'linear' regime, the genus ampitude is consistent with the random phase amplitude. The shape of the genus curve reflects the strong coherence in the observed structure; the observed genus curve appears broader than random phase (94% confidence level for smoothing scales less than or equal to 10/h Mpc) because the topolgoy is spongelike over a very large range of density threshold. This departre from random phase consistent with a distribution like a filamentary net of 'walls with holes.' On smoothing scales approaching approximately 20/h Mpc the shape of the CfA genus curve is consistent with random phase. There is very weak evidence for a shift of the genus toward a 'bubble-like' topology. To test cosmological models, we compute the genus for mock CfA surveys drawn from large (L greater than or approximately 400/h Mpc) N-body simulations of three variants of the cold dark matter (CDM) cosmogony. The genus amplitude of the 'standard' CDM model (omega h = 0.5, b = 1.5) differs from the observations (96% confidence level) on smoothing scales is less than or approximately 10/h Mpc. An open CDM model (omega h = 0.2) and a CDM model with nonzero cosmological constant (omega h = 0.24, lambda (sub 0) = 0.6) are consistent with the observed genus amplitude over the full range of smoothing scales. All of these models fail (97% confidence level) to match the broadness of the observed genus curve on smoothing scales is less than or equal to 10/h Mpc.

A UK survey of the impact of cancer on employment.

PubMed

Luker, K; Campbell, M; Amir, Z; Davies, L

2013-10-01

Improvements in cancer detection and treatment and an increase in retirement age mean more people may experience cancer during their working lives. To examine the impact of cancer on work activities, sources of advice and support for return-to-work decisions and the role of employers in supporting employees with cancer. A cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of people from two cancer registries was conducted in England. Eligible individuals were invited to participate via their general practitioners (April-October 2011) and completed a questionnaire online or by telephone interview. Survey weights were applied before statistical analysis, ensuring responses were representative of cancer survivors in the random sample. A total of 382 people completed the survey, 27% of those invited to participate. Full-time employment fell from 53% prior to diagnosis to 33% after diagnosis, and average working hours reduced from 38 to 32h per week. Only 48% discussed employment issues with their oncology treatment team, and this was associated with more hours worked (36.7 versus 29.4h). Seventy-six per cent of employers were perceived to have been very supportive and 56% receptive to a phased return-to-work. This is one of the largest UK registry-based surveys on this subject. Following treatment for cancer, there were significant falls in full-time working and hours worked. Just under half the sample discussed employment issues with their treatment team, and these participants worked significantly more hours. This indicates scope for improvement such as encouraging health professionals to raise work-related issues within time-limited consultations.

Rationale, design, samples, and baseline sun protection in a randomized trial on a skin cancer prevention intervention in resort environments.

PubMed

Buller, David B; Andersen, Peter A; Walkosz, Barbara J; Scott, Michael D; Beck, Larry; Cutter, Gary R

2016-01-01

Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation during recreation is a risk factor for skin cancer. A trial evaluated an intervention to promote advanced sun protection (sunscreen pre-application/reapplication; protective hats and clothing; use of shade) during vacations. Adult visitors to hotels/resorts with outdoor recreation (i.e., vacationers) participated in a group-randomized pretest-posttest controlled quasi-experimental design in 2012-14. Hotels/resorts were pair-matched and randomly assigned to the intervention or untreated control group. Sun. protection (e.g., clothing, hats, shade and sunscreen) was measured in cross-sectional samples by observation and a face-to-face intercept survey during two-day visits. Initially, 41 hotel/resorts (11%) participated but 4 dropped out before posttest. Hotel/resorts were diverse (employees=30 to 900; latitude=24° 78' N to 50° 52' N; elevation=2ft. to 9726ft. above sea level), and had a variety of outdoor venues (beaches/pools, court/lawn games, golf courses, common areas, and chairlifts). At pretest, 4347 vacationers were observed and 3531 surveyed. More females were surveyed (61%) than observed (50%). Vacationers were mostly 35-60years old, highly educated (college education=68%) and non-Hispanic white (93%), with high-risk skin types (22%). Vacationers reported covering 60% of their skin with clothing. Also, 40% of vacationers used shade; 60% applied sunscreen; and 42% had been sunburned. The trial faced challenges recruiting resorts but result showed that the large, multi-state sample of vacationers were at high risk for solar UV exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chloroacetanilide herbicide metabolites in Wisconsin groundwater: 2001 survey results.

PubMed

Postle, Jeffrey K; Rheineck, Bruce D; Allen, Paula E; Baldock, Jon O; Cook, Cody J; Zogbaum, Randy; Vandenbrook, James P

2004-10-15

A survey of agricultural chemicals in Wisconsin groundwater was conducted between October 2000 and April 2001 to obtain a current picture of agricultural chemicals in groundwater used for private drinking water. A stratified, random sampling procedure was used to select 336 sampling locations. Water from private drinking water wells randomly selected from within the 336 sampling locations was analyzed for 18 compounds including herbicides, herbicide metabolites, and nitrate. This report focuses on the frequency and concentration of chloroacetanilide herbicides and their metabolites. Analysis of data resulted in an estimated proportion of 38+/-5.0% of wells that contained detectable levels of a herbicide or herbicide metabolite. The most commonly detected compound was alachlor ESA with a proportion estimate of 28+/-4.6%. Other detected compounds in order of prevalence were metolachlor ESA, metolachlor OA, alachlor OA, acetochlor ESA, and parent alachlor. Estimates of the mean concentration for the detects ranged from 0.15+/-0.082 microg/L for acetochlor ESA to 1.8+/-0.60 microg/L for alachlor OA. Water quality standards have not been developed for these chloroacetanilide herbicide metabolites. The results of this survey emphasize the need for toxicological assessments of herbicide metabolite compounds and establishment of water quality standards at the state and federal levels.

Simulating household travel survey data in metropolitan areas.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-09-01

Census data provide a rich range of socioeconomic characteristics from which it is shown that trip characteristics can be simulated. This report summarizes research into the simulation of the trips and trip characteristics for a random sample of hous...

Effects of street traffic noise in the night

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wehrli, B.; Nemecek, J.; Turrian, V.; Hoffman, R.; Wanner, H.

1980-01-01

The relationship between automobile traffic noise and the degree of disturbance experience experienced at night was explored through a random sample survey of 1600 individuals in rural and urban areas. The data obtained were used to establish threshold values.

[Study of spatial stratified sampling strategy of Oncomelania hupensis snail survey based on plant abundance].

PubMed

Xun-Ping, W; An, Z

2017-07-27

Objective To optimize and simplify the survey method of Oncomelania hupensis snails in marshland endemic regions of schistosomiasis, so as to improve the precision, efficiency and economy of the snail survey. Methods A snail sampling strategy (Spatial Sampling Scenario of Oncomelania based on Plant Abundance, SOPA) which took the plant abundance as auxiliary variable was explored and an experimental study in a 50 m×50 m plot in a marshland in the Poyang Lake region was performed. Firstly, the push broom surveyed data was stratified into 5 layers by the plant abundance data; then, the required numbers of optimal sampling points of each layer through Hammond McCullagh equation were calculated; thirdly, every sample point in the line with the Multiple Directional Interpolation (MDI) placement scheme was pinpointed; and finally, the comparison study among the outcomes of the spatial random sampling strategy, the traditional systematic sampling method, the spatial stratified sampling method, Sandwich spatial sampling and inference and SOPA was performed. Results The method (SOPA) proposed in this study had the minimal absolute error of 0.213 8; and the traditional systematic sampling method had the largest estimate, and the absolute error was 0.924 4. Conclusion The snail sampling strategy (SOPA) proposed in this study obtains the higher estimation accuracy than the other four methods.

Does sampling using random digit dialling really cost more than sampling from telephone directories: Debunking the myths

PubMed Central

Yang, Baohui; Eyeson-Annan, Margo

2006-01-01

Background Computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) is widely used for health surveys. The advantages of CATI over face-to-face interviewing are timeliness and cost reduction to achieve the same sample size and geographical coverage. Two major CATI sampling procedures are used: sampling directly from the electronic white pages (EWP) telephone directory and list assisted random digit dialling (LA-RDD) sampling. EWP sampling covers telephone numbers of households listed in the printed white pages. LA-RDD sampling has a better coverage of households than EWP sampling but is considered to be more expensive due to interviewers dialling more out-of-scope numbers. Methods This study compared an EWP sample and a LA-RDD sample from the New South Wales Population Health Survey in 2003 on demographic profiles, health estimates, coefficients of variation in weights, design effects on estimates, and cost effectiveness, on the basis of achieving the same level of precision of estimates. Results The LA-RDD sample better represented the population than the EWP sample, with a coefficient of variation of weights of 1.03 for LA-RDD compared with 1.21 for EWP, and average design effects of 2.00 for LA-RDD compared with 2.38 for EWP. Also, a LA-RDD sample can save up to 14.2% in cost compared to an EWP sample to achieve the same precision for health estimates. Conclusion A LA-RDD sample better represents the population, which potentially leads to reduced bias in health estimates, and rather than costing more than EWP actually costs less. PMID:16504117

Health Surveys Using Mobile Phones in Developing Countries: Automated Active Strata Monitoring and Other Statistical Considerations for Improving Precision and Reducing Biases.

PubMed

Labrique, Alain; Blynn, Emily; Ahmed, Saifuddin; Gibson, Dustin; Pariyo, George; Hyder, Adnan A

2017-05-05

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), historically, household surveys have been carried out by face-to-face interviews to collect survey data related to risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. The proliferation of mobile phone ownership and the access it provides in these countries offers a new opportunity to remotely conduct surveys with increased efficiency and reduced cost. However, the near-ubiquitous ownership of phones, high population mobility, and low cost require a re-examination of statistical recommendations for mobile phone surveys (MPS), especially when surveys are automated. As with landline surveys, random digit dialing remains the most appropriate approach to develop an ideal survey-sampling frame. Once the survey is complete, poststratification weights are generally applied to reduce estimate bias and to adjust for selectivity due to mobile ownership. Since weights increase design effects and reduce sampling efficiency, we introduce the concept of automated active strata monitoring to improve representativeness of the sample distribution to that of the source population. Although some statistical challenges remain, MPS represent a promising emerging means for population-level data collection in LMICs. ©Alain Labrique, Emily Blynn, Saifuddin Ahmed, Dustin Gibson, George Pariyo, Adnan A Hyder. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 05.05.2017.

Incentives for college student participation in web-based substance use surveys.

PubMed

Patrick, Megan E; Singer, Eleanor; Boyd, Carol J; Cranford, James A; McCabe, Sean Esteban

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two incentive conditions (a $10 pre-incentive only vs. a $2 pre-incentive and a $10 promised incentive) on response rates, sample composition, substantive data, and cost-efficiency in a survey of college student substance use and related behaviors. Participants were 3000 randomly-selected college students invited to participate in a survey on substance use. Registrar data on all invitees was used to compare response rates and respondents, and web-based data collection on participants was used to compare substantive findings. Participants randomized to the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition were more likely to complete the survey and less likely to give partial responses. Subgroup differences by sex, class year, and race were evaluated among complete responders, although only sex differences were significant. Men were more likely to respond in the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition than the pre-incentive only condition. Substantive data did not differ across incentive structure, although the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition was more cost-efficient. Survey research on college student populations is warranted to support the most scientifically sound and cost-efficient studies possible. Although substantive data did not differ, altering the incentive structure could yield cost savings with better response rates and more representative samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictors of Suicide Ideation in a Random Digit Dial Study: Exposure to Suicide Matters.

PubMed

van de Venne, Judy; Cerel, Julie; Moore, Melinda; Maple, Myfanwy

2017-07-03

Suicide is an important public health concern requiring ongoing research to understand risk factors for suicide ideation. A dual-frame, random digit dial survey was utilized to identify demographic and suicide-related factors associated with suicide ideation in a statewide sample of 1,736 adults. The PH-Q 9 Depression scale suicide ideation question was used to assess current suicide ideation in both the full sample and suicide exposed sub-sample. Being non-married and having previous suicide exposure were separately associated with higher risks of suicide ideation in the full sample. Being male, having increased suicide exposures, and having increased perceptions of closeness to the decedent increased risks, while older age decreased risks for the suicide exposed. Implications for future screening and research are discussed.

Image subsampling and point scoring approaches for large-scale marine benthic monitoring programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perkins, Nicholas R.; Foster, Scott D.; Hill, Nicole A.; Barrett, Neville S.

2016-07-01

Benthic imagery is an effective tool for quantitative description of ecologically and economically important benthic habitats and biota. The recent development of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) allows surveying of spatial scales that were previously unfeasible. However, an AUV collects a large number of images, the scoring of which is time and labour intensive. There is a need to optimise the way that subsamples of imagery are chosen and scored to gain meaningful inferences for ecological monitoring studies. We examine the trade-off between the number of images selected within transects and the number of random points scored within images on the percent cover of target biota, the typical output of such monitoring programs. We also investigate the efficacy of various image selection approaches, such as systematic or random, on the bias and precision of cover estimates. We use simulated biotas that have varying size, abundance and distributional patterns. We find that a relatively small sampling effort is required to minimise bias. An increased precision for groups that are likely to be the focus of monitoring programs is best gained through increasing the number of images sampled rather than the number of points scored within images. For rare species, sampling using point count approaches is unlikely to provide sufficient precision, and alternative sampling approaches may need to be employed. The approach by which images are selected (simple random sampling, regularly spaced etc.) had no discernible effect on mean and variance estimates, regardless of the distributional pattern of biota. Field validation of our findings is provided through Monte Carlo resampling analysis of a previously scored benthic survey from temperate waters. We show that point count sampling approaches are capable of providing relatively precise cover estimates for candidate groups that are not overly rare. The amount of sampling required, in terms of both the number of images and number of points, varies with the abundance, size and distributional pattern of target biota. Therefore, we advocate either the incorporation of prior knowledge or the use of baseline surveys to establish key properties of intended target biota in the initial stages of monitoring programs.

The Relationship between School Achievement and Peer Harassment in Canadian Adolescents: The Importance of Mediating Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beran, Tanya N.; Lupart, Judy

2009-01-01

The relationship between school achievement and peer harassment was examined using individual and peer characteristics as mediating factors. The sample consisted of adolescents age 12-15 years (n = 4,111) drawn from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, which is a stratified random sample of 22,831 households in Canada.…

The National Center on Indigenous Hawaiian Behavioral Health Study of Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Native Hawaiian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrade, Naleen N.; Hishinuma, Earl S.; McDermott, John F., Jr.; Johnson, Ronald C.; Goebert, Deborah A.; Makini, George K., Jr.; Nahulu, Linda B.; Yuen, Noelle Y. C.; McArdle, John J.; Bell, Cathy K.; Carlton, Barry S.; Miyamoto, Robin H.; Nishimura, Stephanie T.; Else, Iwalani R. N.; Guerrero, Anthony P. S.; Darmal, Arsalan; Yates, Alayne; Waldron, Jane A.

2006-01-01

Objectives: The prevalence rates of disorders among a community-based sample of Hawaiian youths were determined and compared to previously published epidemiological studies. Method: Using a two-phase design, 7,317 adolescents were surveyed (60% participation rate), from which 619 were selected in a modified random sample during the 1992-1993 to…

A Validation Study of the Revised Personal Safety Decision Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, HaeJung; Hopkins, Karen M.

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of an 11-item Personal Safety Decision Scale (PSDS) in a sample of child welfare workers. Methods: Data were derived from a larger cross-sectional online survey to a random stratified sample of 477 public child welfare workers in a mid-Atlantic State. An exploratory…

Knowledge of Human Papillomavirus and Perceived Barriers to Vaccination in a Sample of US Female College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillard, James Price; Spear, Margaret E.

2010-01-01

Objective: To assess knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and perceived barriers to being vaccinated against the virus. Participants: Three hundred ninety-six undergraduate women enrolled at Penn State University in Fall 2008. Methods: A random sample of students were invited to participate in a Web-based survey. Results: Awareness of HPV and…

Effect of Items Direction (Positive or Negative) on the Factorial Construction and Criterion Related Validity in Likert Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naji Qasem, Mamun Ali; Ahmad Gul, Showkeen Bilal

2014-01-01

The study was conducted to know the effect of items direction (positive or negative) on the factorial construction and criterion related validity in Likert scale. The descriptive survey research method was used for the study and the sample consisted of 510 undergraduate students selected by used random sampling technique. A scale developed by…

Experience use history and its relationship to management actions and satisfaction

Treesearch

Jordan W. Smith; Roger L. Moore; Steven W. Burr

2010-01-01

Th is paper analyzes the relationship between recreationists' patterns of prior experience and their preferences for and satisfaction with specific management actions. A mail-back survey was administered to a random sample of 1,500 off-highway vehicle (OHV) owners in Utah, and data for this study come from the 600 owners who completed the questionnaire. The sample...

Incidence Rates of Sexual Harassment in Mass Communications Internship Programs: An Initial Study Comparing Intern, Student, and Professional Rates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Michelle; Laurion, Suzanne

A study documented, using a telephone survey, the incidence rates of sexual harassment of mass communication interns, and compared those rates to student and professional rates. A probability sample of 44 male and 52 female mass communications professionals was generated using several random sampling techniques from among professionals who work in…

Evaluating a Modular Design Approach to Collecting Survey Data Using Text Messages

PubMed Central

West, Brady T.; Ghimire, Dirgha; Axinn, William G.

2015-01-01

This article presents analyses of data from a pilot study in Nepal that was designed to provide an initial examination of the errors and costs associated with an innovative methodology for survey data collection. We embedded a randomized experiment within a long-standing panel survey, collecting data on a small number of items with varying sensitivity from a probability sample of 450 young Nepalese adults. Survey items ranged from simple demographics to indicators of substance abuse and mental health problems. Sampled adults were randomly assigned to one of three different modes of data collection: 1) a standard one-time telephone interview, 2) a “single sitting” back-and-forth interview with an interviewer using text messaging, and 3) an interview using text messages within a modular design framework (which generally involves breaking the survey response task into distinct parts over a short period of time). Respondents in the modular group were asked to respond (via text message exchanges with an interviewer) to only one question on a given day, rather than complete the entire survey. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses demonstrate that the two text messaging modes increased the probability of disclosing sensitive information relative to the telephone mode, and that respondents in the modular design group, while responding less frequently, found the survey to be significantly easier. Further, those who responded in the modular group were not unique in terms of available covariates, suggesting that the reduced item response rates only introduced limited nonresponse bias. Future research should consider enhancing this methodology, applying it with other modes of data collection (e. g., web surveys), and continuously evaluating its effectiveness from a total survey error perspective. PMID:26322137

Connections between survey calibration estimators and semiparametric models for incomplete data

PubMed Central

Lumley, Thomas; Shaw, Pamela A.; Dai, James Y.

2012-01-01

Survey calibration (or generalized raking) estimators are a standard approach to the use of auxiliary information in survey sampling, improving on the simple Horvitz–Thompson estimator. In this paper we relate the survey calibration estimators to the semiparametric incomplete-data estimators of Robins and coworkers, and to adjustment for baseline variables in a randomized trial. The development based on calibration estimators explains the ‘estimated weights’ paradox and provides useful heuristics for constructing practical estimators. We present some examples of using calibration to gain precision without making additional modelling assumptions in a variety of regression models. PMID:23833390

Common Core Writing and Language Standards and Aligned State Assessments: A National Survey of Teacher Beliefs and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troia, Gary A.; Graham, Steve

2016-01-01

A random sample of 482 teachers in grades 3 through 8 from across the United States were surveyed about (a) their perceptions of the version of the Common Core writing and language standards adopted by their state and their state's writing assessment, (b) their preparation to teach writing, and (c) their self-efficacy beliefs for teaching writing.…

The KMOS Deep Survey: Dynamical Measurements of Star-Forming Galaxies at z 3.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Owen; Cirasuolo, Michele; Harrison, Chris; McLure, Ross; Dunlop, James; Swinbank, Mark; Johnson, Helen; Sobral, David; Matthee, Jorryt; Sharples, Ray

2017-07-01

This poster present dynamical measurements from the KMOS (K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph) Deep Survey (KDS), which is comprised of 78 typical star-forming galaxies at z = 3.5 in the mass range 9.0 < log(M*) < 10.5. We fit spatially and spectrally convolved mock datacubes to the observed data, in order to make beam-smearing corrected measurements of the intrinsic velocity dispersions and rotation velocities of 33 galaxies in the sample classed as spatially resolved and isolated. The results suggest that the rotation-dominated galaxies in the sample are offset to lower velocities at fixed stellar mass and have higher velocity dispersions than star-forming galaxies in the local and intermediate redshift universe. Only 1/3 of the galaxies in the sample are dominated by rotation, which hints that random motions are playing an increasingly significant role in supporting the dynamical mass in the systems. When searching for evolution in scaling relations, such as the stellar mass Tully-Fisher relation, it is important to take these random motions into account.

A Profile of JMC Educators: Traits, Attitudes and Values.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, David; Wilhoit, G. Cleveland

1988-01-01

Surveys a random sample of full-time journalism and mass communication educators in four-year colleges and universities for information concerning their backgrounds, motivations, working conditions, and opinions on education, media roles, ethics, and media performance (893 respondents). (MM)

SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey data release 12: Galaxy target selection and large-scale structure catalogues

DOE PAGES

Reid, Beth; Ho, Shirley; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; ...

2015-11-17

The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III project, has provided the largest survey of galaxy redshifts available to date, in terms of both the number of galaxy redshifts measured by a single survey, and the effective cosmological volume covered. Key to analysing the clustering of these data to provide cosmological measurements is understanding the detailed properties of this sample. Potential issues include variations in the target catalogue caused by changes either in the targeting algorithm or properties of the data used, the pattern of spectroscopic observations, the spatial distribution of targets formore » which redshifts were not obtained, and variations in the target sky density due to observational systematics. We document here the target selection algorithms used to create the galaxy samples that comprise BOSS. We also present the algorithms used to create large-scale structure catalogues for the final Data Release (DR12) samples and the associated random catalogues that quantify the survey mask. The algorithms are an evolution of those used by the BOSS team to construct catalogues from earlier data, and have been designed to accurately quantify the galaxy sample. Furthermore, the code used, designated mksample, is released with this paper.« less

National survey of physicians to determine the effect of unconditional incentives on response rates of physician postal surveys.

PubMed

Abdulaziz, Kasim; Brehaut, Jamie; Taljaard, Monica; Émond, Marcel; Sirois, Marie-Josée; Lee, Jacques S; Wilding, Laura; Perry, Jeffrey J

2015-02-18

Physicians are a commonly targeted group in health research surveys, but their response rates are often relatively low. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the effect of unconditional incentives in the form of a coffee card on physician postal survey response rates. Following 13 key informant interviews and eight cognitive interviews a survey questionnaire was developed. A random sample of 534 physicians, stratified by physician group (geriatricians, family physicians, emergency physicians) was selected from a national medical directory. Using computer generated random numbers; half of the physicians in each stratum were allocated to receive a coffee card to a popular national coffee chain together with the first survey mailout. The intervention was a $10 Tim Hortons gift card given to half of the physicians who were randomly allocated to receive the incentive. 265 (57.0%) physicians completed the survey. The response rate was significantly higher in the group allocated to receive the incentive (62.7% vs 51.3% in the control group; p=0.01). Our results indicate that an unconditional incentive in the form of a coffee gift card can substantially improve physician response rates. Future research can look at the effect of varying amounts of cash on the gift cards on response rates. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Improving response rate and quality of survey data with a scratch lottery ticket incentive

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The quality of data collected in survey research is usually indicated by the response rate; the representativeness of the sample, and; the rate of completed questions (item-response). In attempting to improve a generally declining response rate in surveys considerable efforts are being made through follow-up mailings and various types of incentives. This study examines effects of including a scratch lottery ticket in the invitation letter to a survey. Method Questionnaires concerning oral health were mailed to a random sample of 2,400 adults. A systematically selected half of the sample (1,200 adults) received a questionnaire including a scratch lottery ticket. One reminder without the incentive was sent. Results The incentive increased the response rate and improved representativeness by reaching more respondents with lower education. Furthermore, it reduced item nonresponse. The initial incentive had no effect on the propensity to respond after the reminder. Conclusion When attempting to improve survey data, three issues become important: response rate, representativeness, and item-response. This study shows that including a scratch lottery ticket in the invitation letter performs well on all the three. PMID:22515335

Use of Lot quality assurance sampling surveys to evaluate community health worker performance in rural Zambia: a case of Luangwa district.

PubMed

Mwanza, Moses; Zulu, Japhet; Topp, Stephanie M; Musonda, Patrick; Mutale, Wilbroad; Chilengi, Roma

2017-04-17

The Better Health Outcomes through Mentoring and Assessment (BHOMA) project is a cluster randomized controlled trial aimed at reducing age-standardized mortality rates in three rural districts through involvement of Community Health Workers (CHWs), Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), and Neighborhood Health Committees (NHCs). CHWs conduct quarterly surveys on all households using a questionnaire that captures key health events occurring within their catchment population. In order to validate contact with households, we utilize the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) methodology. In this study, we report experiences of applying the LQAS approach to monitor performance of CHWs in Luangwa District. Between April 2011 and December 2013, seven health facilities in Luangwa district were enrolled into the BHOMA project. The health facility catchment areas were divided into 33 geographic zones. Quality assurance was performed each quarter by randomly selecting zones representing about 90% of enrolled catchment areas from which 19 households per zone where also randomly identified. The surveys were conducted by CHW supervisors who had been trained on using the LQAS questionnaire. Information collected included household identity number (ID), whether the CHW visited the household, duration of the most recent visit, and what health information was discussed during the CHW visit. The threshold for success was set at 75% household outreach by CHWs in each zone. There are 4,616 total households in the 33 zones. This yielded a target of 32,212 household visits by community health workers during the 7 survey rounds. Based on the set cutoff point for passing the surveys (at least 75% households confirmed as visited), only one team of CHWs at Luangwa high school failed to reach the target during round 1 of the surveys; all the teams otherwise registered successful visits in all the surveys. We have employed the LQAS methodology for assurance that quarterly surveys were successfully done. This methodology proved helpful in identifying poorly performing CHWs and could be useful for evaluating CHW performance in other areas. Identifier: NCT01942278 . Date of Registration: September 2013.

Community Clinicians and the Veterans Choice Program for PTSD Care: Understanding Provider Interest During Early Implementation.

PubMed

Finley, Erin P; Noël, Polly H; Mader, Michael; Haro, Elizabeth; Bernardy, Nancy; Rosen, Craig S; Bollinger, Mary; Garcia, Hector; Sherrieb, Kathleen; Pugh, Mary Jo V

2017-07-01

In 2014, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) to provide reimbursement for community-based care to eligible veterans. Inadequate networks of participating providers may impact the utility of VCP for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a complex condition occurring at lower frequency among civilians. To compare characteristics and attitudes of community-based primary care and mental health providers reporting interest or no interest in VCP participation during early implementation; and to examine perceptions and experiences of VCP among "early adopters." Cross-sectional surveys with 2 samples: a stratified random sample of mental health and primary care prescribers and psychotherapists drawn from state licensing boards (Community Sample); and a stratified random sample of prescribers and psychotherapists identified as VCP-authorized providers (VCP-Authorized). Five hundred fifty-three respondents in the Community Sample and 115 in the VCP-Authorized (total, n=668; 21.1% response). Surveys assessed provider and practice characteristics, attitudes to VA and VCP, and experiences and satisfaction with the VCP; an open-ended survey item assessed providers' reasons for interest or lack of interest in VCP participation. Few providers reported VCP participation during this period. Interest in VCP participation was associated across provider groups with factors including being a veteran and receiving VA reimbursement; currently providing treatment for PTSD was associated with interest in VCP participation among psychotherapists, but not prescribers. Developing networks of VCP providers to serve Veterans with PTSD is likely to require targeting more receptive provider groups, reducing barriers to participation, and more effectively communicating the value of VCP participation to providers.

Optimum allocation for a dual-frame telephone survey.

PubMed

Wolter, Kirk M; Tao, Xian; Montgomery, Robert; Smith, Philip J

2015-12-01

Careful design of a dual-frame random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey requires selecting from among many options that have varying impacts on cost, precision, and coverage in order to obtain the best possible implementation of the study goals. One such consideration is whether to screen cell-phone households in order to interview cell-phone only (CPO) households and exclude dual-user household, or to take all interviews obtained via the cell-phone sample. We present a framework in which to consider the tradeoffs between these two options and a method to select the optimal design. We derive and discuss the optimum allocation of sample size between the two sampling frames and explore the choice of optimum p , the mixing parameter for the dual-user domain. We illustrate our methods using the National Immunization Survey , sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Surface water quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin : geochemical data for fine-fraction streambed sediment from high- and low-order streams, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, John A.; Sanzolone, R.F.

1991-01-01

Geochemical data are presented from a synoptic survey of 46 elements in fine-fraction streambed sediments of the Upper Illinois River Basin during the fall of 1987. The survey was a component study of the Illinois pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Most of the sampling sites were randomly chosen--135 on main stems of rivers and 238 on first- and second-order streams. In addition, 196 samples were collected for quality-assurance and special-study purposes. The report includes element concentration data and summary-statistics tables of percentiles, nested analysis of variance, and correlation coefficients. All concentration data are included in tabular form and can be selected by map reference number, latitude and longitude, or remark code indicating purpose for collecting sample.

Oral health in groups of refugees in Sweden.

PubMed

Zimmerman, M

1993-01-01

In recent years the impact of ever-increasing numbers of refugees on the resources of the host countries has become a global concern. Health personnel face unanticipated demands complicated by different cultural, ethnic and religious factors and an unfamiliar disease panorama. Sweden today has around 1 million immigrants, 15% of the population. The aim of this thesis was to describe oral status with respect to caries and periodontal conditions, to analyse the need for dental treatment, to evaluate the effect of a preventive dental health programme, to study attitudes and knowledge of preventive dentistry and to describe and analyse utilization of dental services by different groups of adult refugees in Sweden. Three different methods were used: a descriptive clinical survey of a random sample of 193 Chilean and 92 Polish refugees, an experimental survey of a random sample of 159 Chilean refugees and a register survey, using national health statistics, consisting of a random sample of 2,489 refugees arriving in Sweden 1975-1985. The Chilean and Polish refugees had markedly poorer oral status than corresponding Swedish population groups. No association could be found between oral health or estimated treatment need and the length of time in Sweden. The simplified preventive program in the form of group discussion had a lasting effect on improved periodontal conditions and also improved knowledge of dental health care in the group of Chilean refugees. The register survey showed a generally low utilization of dental services but a high dental consumption among adult refugees in Sweden. The total treatment time for a course of treatment showed no marked decrease with subsequent courses of treatment. Immigration may have a profound effect on oral health care needs in a given population by introducing undetermined accumulated needs for oral care, and by stimulating changes in attitudes to and preferences in oral health and care.

Identifying key demographic parameters of a small island-associated population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Reunion, Indian Ocean).

PubMed

Dulau, Violaine; Estrade, Vanessa; Fayan, Jacques

2017-01-01

Photo-identification surveys of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were conducted from 2009 to 2014 off Reunion Island (55°E33'/21°S07'), in the Indian Ocean. Robust Design models were applied to produce the most reliable estimate of population abundance and survival rate, while accounting for temporary emigration from the survey area (west coast). The sampling scheme consisted of a five-month (June-October) sampling period in each year of the study. The overall population size at Reunion was estimated to be 72 individuals (SE = 6.17, 95%CI = 61-85), based on a random temporary emigration (γ") of 0.096 and a proportion of 0.70 (SE = 0.03) distinct individuals. The annual survival rate was 0.93 (±0.018 SE, 95%CI = 0.886-0.958) and was constant over time and between sexes. Models considering gender groups indicated different movement patterns between males and females. Males showed null or quasi-null temporary emigration (γ" = γ' < 0.01), while females showed a random temporary emigration (γ") of 0.10, suggesting that a small proportion of females was outside the survey area during each primary sampling period. Sex-specific temporary migration patterns were consistent with movement and residency patterns observed in other areas. The Robust Design approach provided an appropriate sampling scheme for deriving island-associated population parameters, while allowing to restrict survey effort both spatially (i.e. west coast only) and temporally (five months per year). Although abundance and survival were stable over the six years, the small population size of fewer than 100 individuals suggested that this population is highly vulnerable. Priority should be given to reducing any potential impact of human activity on the population and its habitat.

Sleep Complaints in the Adult Brazilian Population: A National Survey Based on Screening Questions

PubMed Central

Bittencourt, Lia Rita A.; Santos-Silva, Rogerio; Taddei, Jose A.; Andersen, Monica L.; de Mello, Marco T.; Tufik, Sergio

2009-01-01

Study Objectives: The aim of the current survey was to investigate the prevalence of sleep complaints in a randomized cluster sample of the Brazilian population. Methods: A 3-stage cluster sampling technique was utilized to randomly select Brazilian subjects older than 16 years, of both genders and all socioeconomic classes. The final sample of 2,110 subjects from 150 different cities was enough to estimate prevalence in the Brazilian population with a sampling error of ± 2%. Questions about sleep complaints were administered face-to-face by Instituto Datafolha interviewers on March 26 and 27, 2008. Data were expanded using a weighted variable. Results: Of all interviewed subjects, 63% reported at least one sleep related complaint. Sleep complaint prevalence increased with age and was similar among inhabitants of different Brazilian regions, as well as between metropolitan areas and smaller cities. Insomnia and nightmares were significantly more prevalent in women (40% and 25%, respectively), and snoring was more prevalent in men (35%). For sleep complaints with frequencies greater than 3 times per week, we found the following prevalence: 61% for snoring, 35% for insomnia, 17% for nightmares, 53% for leg kicking, and 37% for breathing pauses. Conclusions: Because sleep disorders are affect a high proportion of the population and are known to be correlated with decreased well-being and productivity, more detailed national surveys are necessary to provide relevant information to develop approaches to prevention and treatment. Citation: Bittencourt LRA; Santos-Silva R; Taddei JA; Andersen ML; de Mello MT; Tufik S. Sleep complaints in the adult brazilian population: a national survey based on screening questions. J Clin Sleep Med 2009;5(5):459-463. PMID:19961032

Designing a national soil erosion monitoring network for England and Wales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lark, Murray; Rawlins, Barry; Anderson, Karen; Evans, Martin; Farrow, Luke; Glendell, Miriam; James, Mike; Rickson, Jane; Quine, Timothy; Quinton, John; Brazier, Richard

2014-05-01

Although soil erosion is recognised as a significant threat to sustainable land use and may be a priority for action in any forthcoming EU Soil Framework Directive, those responsible for setting national policy with respect to erosion are constrained by a lack of robust, representative, data at large spatial scales. This reflects the process-orientated nature of much soil erosion research. Recognising this limitation, The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) established a project to pilot a cost-effective framework for monitoring of soil erosion in England and Wales (E&W). The pilot will compare different soil erosion monitoring methods at a site scale and provide statistical information for the final design of the full national monitoring network that will: provide unbiased estimates of the spatial mean of soil erosion rate across E&W (tonnes ha-1 yr-1) for each of three land-use classes - arable and horticultural grassland upland and semi-natural habitats quantify the uncertainty of these estimates with confidence intervals. Probability (design-based) sampling provides most efficient unbiased estimates of spatial means. In this study, a 16 hectare area (a square of 400 x 400 m) positioned at the centre of a 1-km grid cell, selected at random from mapped land use across E&W, provided the sampling support for measurement of erosion rates, with at least 94% of the support area corresponding to the target land use classes. Very small or zero erosion rates likely to be encountered at many sites reduce the sampling efficiency and make it difficult to compare different methods of soil erosion monitoring. Therefore, to increase the proportion of samples with larger erosion rates without biasing our estimates, we increased the inclusion probability density in areas where the erosion rate is likely to be large by using stratified random sampling. First, each sampling domain (land use class in E&W) was divided into strata; e.g. two sub-domains within which, respectively, small or no erosion rates, and moderate or larger erosion rates are expected. Each stratum was then sampled independently and at random. The sample density need not be equal in the two strata, but is known and is accounted for in the estimation of the mean and its standard error. To divide the domains into strata we used information on slope angle, previous interpretation of erosion susceptibility of the soil associations that correspond to the soil map of E&W at 1:250 000 (Soil Survey of England and Wales, 1983), and visual interpretation of evidence of erosion from aerial photography. While each domain could be stratified on the basis of the first two criteria, air photo interpretation across the whole country was not feasible. For this reason we used a two-phase random sampling for stratification (TPRS) design (de Gruijter et al., 2006). First, we formed an initial random sample of 1-km grid cells from the target domain. Second, each cell was then allocated to a stratum on the basis of the three criteria. A subset of the selected cells from each stratum were then selected for field survey at random, with a specified sampling density for each stratum so as to increase the proportion of cells where moderate or larger erosion rates were expected. Once measurements of erosion have been made, an estimate of the spatial mean of the erosion rate over the target domain, its standard error and associated uncertainty can be calculated by an expression which accounts for the estimated proportions of the two strata within the initial random sample. de Gruijter, J.J., Brus, D.J., Biekens, M.F.P. & Knotters, M. 2006. Sampling for Natural Resource Monitoring. Springer, Berlin. Soil Survey of England and Wales. 1983 National Soil Map NATMAP Vector 1:250,000. National Soil Research Institute, Cranfield University.

Fraud in a population-based study of headache: prevention, detection and correction

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In medicine, research misconduct is historically associated with laboratory or pharmaceutical research, but the vulnerability of epidemiological surveys should be recognized. As these surveys underpin health policy and allocation of limited resources, misreporting can have far-reaching implications. We report how fraud in a nationwide headache survey occurred and how it was discovered and rectified before it could cause harm. Methods The context was a door-to-door survey to estimate the prevalence and burden of headache disorders in Pakistan. Data were collected from all four provinces of Pakistan by non-medical interviewers and collated centrally. Measures to ensure data integrity were preventative, detective and corrective. We carefully selected and trained the interviewers, set rules of conduct and gave specific warnings regarding the consequences of falsification. We employed two-fold fraud detection methods: comparative data analysis, and face-to-face re-contact with randomly selected participants. When fabrication was detected, data shown to be unreliable were replaced by repeating the survey in new samples according to the original protocol. Results Comparative analysis of datasets from the regions revealed unfeasible prevalences and gender ratios in one (Multan). Data fabrication was suspected. During a surprise-visit to Multan, of a random sample of addresses selected for verification, all but one had been falsely reported. The data (from 840 cases) were discarded, and the survey repeated with new interviewers. The new sample of 800 cases was demographically and diagnostically consistent with other regions. Conclusion Fraud in community-based surveys is seldom reported, but no less likely to occur than in other fields of medical research. Measures should be put in place to prevent, detect and, where necessary, correct it. In this instance, had the data from Multan been pooled with those from other regions before analysis, a damaging fraud might have escaped notice. PMID:24916996

Reducing questionnaire length did not improve physician response rate: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Bolt, Eva E; van der Heide, Agnes; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje D

2014-04-01

To examine the effect of reducing questionnaire length on the response rate in a physician survey. A postal four double-page questionnaire on end-of-life decision making was sent to a random sample of 1,100 general practitioners, 400 elderly care physicians, and 500 medical specialists. Another random sample of 500 medical specialists received a shorter questionnaire of two double pages. After 3 months and one reminder, all nonresponding physicians received an even shorter questionnaire of one double page. Total response was 64% (1,456 of 2,269 eligible respondents). Response rate of medical specialists for the four double-page questionnaire was equal to that of the two double-page questionnaire (190 and 191 questionnaires were returned, respectively). The total response rate increased from 53% to 64% after sending a short one double-page questionnaire (1,203-1,456 respondents). The results of our study suggest that reducing the length of a long questionnaire in a physician survey does not necessarily improve response rate. To improve response rate and gather more information, researchers could decide to send a drastically shortened version of the questionnaire to nonresponders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA: THE STATE OF MARYLAND'S FRESHWATER STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

The Maryland Biological Stream Survey, conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, sampled about 1,000 randomly-selected sites on first through third order freshwater streams throughout Maryland from 1995 to 1997. Biota (fish, benthic macroinvertebrates, herpetofau...

Job Stress among Hispanic Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez-Calcagno, Maria; Brewer, Ernest W.

2005-01-01

This study explores job stress among a random sample of 219 Hispanic professionals. Participants complete the Job Stress Survey by Spielberger and Vagg and a demographic questionnaire. Responses are analyzed using descriptive statistics, a factorial analysis of variance, and coefficients of determination. Results indicate that Hispanic…

USEPA Santa Cruz River Public Survey Research

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA Office of Research and Development, Western Ecology Division is investigating how urban households value different possibilities for the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona. A random sample of households in the Phoenix and Tucson areas are being asked to provide their ...

Ethnic/racial differences in the prevalence of injurious spanking and other child physical abuse in a National Survey of Adolescents.

PubMed

Hawkins, Alesia Oscea; Danielson, Carla Kmett; de Arellano, Michael A; Hanson, Rochelle F; Ruggiero, Kenneth J; Smith, Daniel W; Saunders, Benjamin E; Kilpatrick, Dean G

2010-08-01

Limited research has examined whether similar patterns in injurious spanking and other forms of child physical abuse (CPA) exist across specific ethnic/racial groups. The authors examined and compared differences in the lifetime prevalence of injurious spanking and CPA in two national samples of adolescents across ethnic/racial groups and over time. Participants were 4,023 youth (12-17 years) and 3,614 youth (12-17 years) who participated in the 1995 National Survey of Adolescents (NSA) and 2005 National Survey of Adolescents-Replication (NSA-R), respectively. Adolescents, who were identified through random digit dial procedures, completed a telephone interview assessment. Results indicated significant ethnic/racial variation across groups in reports of injurious spanking in the NSA and the NSA-R samples; however, significant differences were not observed within groups between the two samples over time. Ethnic/racial differences also were found between groups in reports of CPA in the NSA-R sample. Limitations and future directions of this research are discussed.

Factors Influencing Teachers' Competence in Developing Resilience in Vulnerable Children in Primary Schools in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silyvier, Tsindoli; Nyandusi, Charles

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of teacher characteristics on their competence in developing resilience in vulnerable primary school children. A descriptive survey research design was used. This study was based on resiliency theory as proposed by Krovetz (1998). Simple random sampling was used to select a sample size of 108…

A Reciprocal Model of Psychographic Attributes Related to Their Learning among Preparatory Year of Undergraduate Students in West Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talafha, Feras

2015-01-01

This study examines the level of psychographic attributes among the preparatory year students enrolled at the University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The study sample consists of 209 students chosen with the help of random sampling and questionnaire survey was employed for data collection. Based on the findings, the entire study variables, which are…

Lecturers and Postgraduates Perception of Libraries as Promoters of Teaching, Learning, and Research at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyewole, Olawale; Adetimirin, Airen

2015-01-01

Lecturers and postgraduates are among the users of the university libraries and their perception of the libraries has influence on utilization of the information resources, hence the need for this study. Survey method was adopted for the study and simple random sampling method was used to select sample size of 38 lecturers and 233 postgraduates.…

Effectiveness of a Time-Limited Incentive on Participation by Hard-to-Reach Respondents in a Panel Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fomby, Paula; Sastry, Narayan; McGonagle, Katherine A.

2017-01-01

We describe an experiment to provide a time-limited incentive among a random sample of 594 hard-to-reach respondents, 200 of whom were offered the incentive to complete all survey components of a study during a three-week winter holiday period. Sample members were primary caregivers of children included in the 2014 Child Development Supplement to…

THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF MIGRANT FARM LABORERS--EFFECT OF MIGRANT FARM LABOR ON THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BROOKS, MELVIN S.; HILGENDORF, ROBERT L.

MIGRANT LABORERS WHO PICKED STRAWBERRIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS IN THE SPRING OF 1958 WERE SURVEYED. THIS PARTICULAR SAMPLE WAS SELECTED FOR STUDY BECAUSE FAR MORE CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED IN THE HARVEST OF STRAWBERRIES THAN IN ANY OTHER FARM TASK OF THE AREA. MIGRANTS WHO WERE INTERVIEWED WERE SELECTED BY SYSTEMATIC RANDOM SAMPLING--A PROCEDURE THAT…

Rationale, Design, Samples, and Baseline Sun Protection in a Randomized Trial on a Skin Cancer Prevention Intervention in Resort Environments

PubMed Central

Buller, David B.; Andersen, Peter A.; Walkosz, Barbara J.; Scott, Michael D.; Beck, Larry; Cutter, Gary R.

2016-01-01

Introduction Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation during recreation is a risk factor for skin cancer. A trial evaluating an intervention to promote advanced sun protection (sunscreen pre-application/reapplication; protective hats and clothing; use of shade) during vacations. Materials and Methods Adult visitors to hotels/resorts with outdoor recreation (i.e., vacationers) participated in a group-randomized pretest-posttest controlled quasi-experimental design in 2012–14. Hotels/resorts were pair-matched and randomly assigned to the intervention or untreated control group. Sun protection (e.g., clothing, hats, shade and sunscreen) was measured in cross-sectional samples by observation and a face-to-face intercept survey during two-day visits. Results Initially, 41 hotel/resorts (11%) participated but 4 dropped out before posttest. Hotel/resorts were diverse (employees=30 to 900; latitude=24o 78′ N to 50o 52′ N; elevation=2 ft. to 9,726 ft. above sea level), and had a variety of outdoor venues (beaches/pools, court/lawn games, golf courses, common areas, and chairlifts). At pretest, 4,347 vacationers were observed and 3,531 surveyed. More females were surveyed (61%) than observed (50%). Vacationers were mostly 35–60 years old, highly educated (college education = 68%) and non-Hispanic white (93%), with high-risk skin types (22%). Vacationers reported covering 60% of their skin with clothing. Also, 40% of vacationers used shade; 60% applied sunscreen; and 42% had been sunburned. Conclusions The trial faced challenges recruiting resorts but result show that the large, multi-state sample of vacationers were at high risk for solar UV exposure. PMID:26593781

The Degree and Nature to Which Public School Libraries Are Automated: A Survey of Public School Libraries in Ohio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meckler, Elizabeth M.

This paper examines the belief that no more than half of the public school libraries in the state of Ohio are automated to any degree. The purpose of the research was to determine the degree and nature of automation at the public school libraries in Ohio. A written survey was mailed to 350 libraries that represented a randomized sample of the…

Acute stress symptoms during the second Lebanon war in a random sample of Israeli citizens.

PubMed

Cohen, Miri; Yahav, Rivka

2008-02-01

The aims of this study were to assess prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) and acute stress symptoms (ASS) in Israel during the second Lebanon war. A telephone survey was conducted in July 2006 of a random sample of 235 residents of northern Israel, who were subjected to missile attacks, and of central Israel, who were not subjected to missile attacks. Results indicate that ASS scores were higher in the northern respondents; 6.8% of the northern sample and 3.9% of the central sample met ASD criteria. Appearance of each symptom ranged from 15.4% for dissociative to 88.4% for reexperiencing, with significant differences between northern and central respondents only for reexperiencing and arousal. A low ASD rate and a moderate difference between areas subjected and not subjected to attack were found.

The Public’s Preparedness: Self-Reliance, Flashbulb Memories, and Conservative Values

PubMed Central

Dyen, Susannah; Elliott, Stacey

2013-01-01

Objectives. We surveyed how many US residents engaged in 6 preparedness activities and measured the relationship between engagement and personal experience in hazard events, flashbulb memories of major events, self-reliance, and other indicators of a conservative philosophy. Methods. We used random digit dialing for national landline (75%) and cell phone (25%) surveys of 1930 US residents from July 6, 2011, to September 9, 2011; 1080 of the sample lived near 6 US Department of Energy nuclear waste management facilities and 850 were a national random sample. Results. The median respondent engaged in 3 of the 6 activities; those who disproportionately engaged in 4 or more had experienced a hazard event, had distressing and strong flashbulb memories of major hazard events, and had strong feelings about the need for greater self-reliance. The results for the national and US Department of Energy site–specific surveys were almost identical. Conclusions. A cadre of US residents are disproportionately engaged in disaster preparedness, and they typically have stronger negative memories of past disasters and tend to be self-reliant. How their efforts can or should be integrated into local preparedness efforts is unclear. PMID:23597367

Evidence of dengue virus transmission and factors associated with the presence of anti-dengue virus antibodies in humans in three major towns in Cameroon.

PubMed

Demanou, Maurice; Pouillot, Régis; Grandadam, Marc; Boisier, Pascal; Kamgang, Basile; Hervé, Jean Pierre; Rogier, Christophe; Rousset, Dominique; Paupy, Christophe

2014-07-01

Dengue is not well documented in Africa. In Cameroon, data are scarce, but dengue infection has been confirmed in humans. We conducted a study to document risk factors associated with anti-dengue virus Immunoglobulin G seropositivity in humans in three major towns in Cameroon. A cross sectional survey was conducted in Douala, Garoua and Yaounde, using a random cluster sampling design. Participants underwent a standardized interview and were blood sampled. Environmental and housing characteristics were recorded. Randomized houses were prospected to record all water containers, and immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes were collected. Sera were screened for anti-dengue virus IgG and IgM antibodies. Risk factors of seropositivity were tested using logistic regression methods with random effects. Anti-dengue IgG were found from 61.4% of sera in Douala (n = 699), 24.2% in Garoua (n = 728) and 9.8% in Yaounde (n = 603). IgM were found from 0.3% of Douala samples, 0.1% of Garoua samples and 0.0% of Yaounde samples. Seroneutralization on randomly selected IgG positive sera showed that 72% (n = 100) in Douala, 80% (n = 94) in Garoua and 77% (n = 66) in Yaounde had antibodies specific for dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2). Age, temporary house walls materials, having water-storage containers, old tires or toilets in the yard, having no TV, having no air conditioning and having travelled at least once outside the city were independently associated with anti-dengue IgG positivity in Douala. Age, having uncovered water containers, having no TV, not being born in Garoua and not breeding pigs were significant risk factors in Garoua. Recent history of malaria, having banana trees and stagnant water in the yard were independent risk factors in Yaounde. In this survey, most identified risk factors of dengue were related to housing conditions. Poverty and underdevelopment are central to the dengue epidemiology in Cameroon.

The Internet and health information: differences in pet owners based on age, gender, and education.

PubMed

Kogan, Lori R; Schoenfeld-Tacher, Regina; Viera, Ann R

2012-07-01

The research assessed the attitudes and behaviors of pet owners pertaining to online search behavior for pet health information. A survey was conducted with a random sample of pet owners drawn from two US metropolitan areas and surrounding cities. Participating clinics were chosen randomly, and each participating clinic was asked to distribute 100 surveys to their clients until all surveys were disbursed. Although some perceptions and behaviors surrounding the use of the Internet for pet health information differ based on gender, age, or education level of pet owners, there are many aspects in which there are no differences based on these demographics. Results of the study suggest that closer examination of the common perception that gender, age, or education level has an effect on Internet behavior as it relates to veterinary medicine is required. Recommendations are made pertaining to the growing presence of the Internet and its impact on veterinary medicine.

Observed intra-cluster correlation coefficients in a cluster survey sample of patient encounters in general practice in Australia

PubMed Central

Knox, Stephanie A; Chondros, Patty

2004-01-01

Background Cluster sample study designs are cost effective, however cluster samples violate the simple random sample assumption of independence of observations. Failure to account for the intra-cluster correlation of observations when sampling through clusters may lead to an under-powered study. Researchers therefore need estimates of intra-cluster correlation for a range of outcomes to calculate sample size. We report intra-cluster correlation coefficients observed within a large-scale cross-sectional study of general practice in Australia, where the general practitioner (GP) was the primary sampling unit and the patient encounter was the unit of inference. Methods Each year the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) study recruits a random sample of approximately 1,000 GPs across Australia. Each GP completes details of 100 consecutive patient encounters. Intra-cluster correlation coefficients were estimated for patient demographics, morbidity managed and treatments received. Intra-cluster correlation coefficients were estimated for descriptive outcomes and for associations between outcomes and predictors and were compared across two independent samples of GPs drawn three years apart. Results Between April 1999 and March 2000, a random sample of 1,047 Australian general practitioners recorded details of 104,700 patient encounters. Intra-cluster correlation coefficients for patient demographics ranged from 0.055 for patient sex to 0.451 for language spoken at home. Intra-cluster correlations for morbidity variables ranged from 0.005 for the management of eye problems to 0.059 for management of psychological problems. Intra-cluster correlation for the association between two variables was smaller than the descriptive intra-cluster correlation of each variable. When compared with the April 2002 to March 2003 sample (1,008 GPs) the estimated intra-cluster correlation coefficients were found to be consistent across samples. Conclusions The demonstrated precision and reliability of the estimated intra-cluster correlations indicate that these coefficients will be useful for calculating sample sizes in future general practice surveys that use the GP as the primary sampling unit. PMID:15613248

Education Needs of Michigan Farmers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suvedi, Murari; Jeong, Eunseong; Coombs, John

2010-01-01

In 2008 MSU Extension evaluated their program to identify the major areas of educational need for Michigan farmers and agribusiness operators. Surveys were mailed to a stratified random sample from Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service records of dairy, livestock, swine, cash crops, fruit, vegetable, and nursery/greenhouse producers. Findings…

Urban and Suburban Residents' Perceptions of Farmers and Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molnar, Joseph J.; Duffy, Patricia A.

Attitudes about farming and government agricultural policies differed among residential categories ranging from urban to rural. A mail survey gathered 3,232 completed questionnaires from a national random sample of 9,250 households. Statistical weighting made respondent categories representative of national proportions. Although respondents…

The Great, Late Lesbian and Bisexual Women's Discrimination Survey.

PubMed

Rankine, J

2001-01-01

SUMMARY This 1992 New Zealand survey of discrimination against 261 lesbian and bisexual women found comparable rates of public abuse and workplace discrimination to those reported by surveys in other developed countries. The women reported higher rates of assault in public places than a random sample of New Zealand women. Indigenous Maori women reported higher rates of assault, threats, verbal abuse, and workplace discrimination than the non-Maori women surveyed. Aggression against the women was often in response to public expression of affection for another woman or to rejection of men's public sexual advances. The respondents reported hostile educational environments that coincided with peer harassment of students attracted to their own gender. Around two-thirds of the women had hidden their sexuality on some occasions at work to avoid discrimination. No significant differences between the discrimination experiences of lesbian and bisexual women emerged, although the bisexual sample was too small for statistical analysis.

Survey data on key climate and environmental drivers of farmers' migration in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

PubMed

Sanfo, Safiétou; Fonta, M William; Boubacar, Ibrahim; Lamers, P A John

2016-12-01

This article describes two datasets generated from various sources in south western Burkina Faso to identify the key climate and environmental drivers that cause farmers to migrate. The survey sampling is random but reasoned and rational. The first dataset from 367 farm households contains data on farmers' perception of climate change risks or hazards, their impacts on farmland productivity and farm households' risk management strategies. The second dataset from 58 farm households contains data on agricultural practices, environmental changes, and environmental migration. Three supplemental Excel sheets show the results of the surveys. Details on the sample as well as further interpretation and discussion of the surveys are available in the associated research article ('Field Facts for Crop Insurance Design: Empirical Evidence from South Western Burkina Faso' (W. M. Fonta, S. Sanfo, B. Ibrahim, B. Barry, 2015) [1]).

Using maximum entropy modeling for optimal selection of sampling sites for monitoring networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, Thomas J.; Kumar, Sunil; Barnett, David T.; Evangelista, Paul H.

2011-01-01

Environmental monitoring programs must efficiently describe state shifts. We propose using maximum entropy modeling to select dissimilar sampling sites to capture environmental variability at low cost, and demonstrate a specific application: sample site selection for the Central Plains domain (453,490 km2) of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). We relied on four environmental factors: mean annual temperature and precipitation, elevation, and vegetation type. A “sample site” was defined as a 20 km × 20 km area (equal to NEON’s airborne observation platform [AOP] footprint), within which each 1 km2 cell was evaluated for each environmental factor. After each model run, the most environmentally dissimilar site was selected from all potential sample sites. The iterative selection of eight sites captured approximately 80% of the environmental envelope of the domain, an improvement over stratified random sampling and simple random designs for sample site selection. This approach can be widely used for cost-efficient selection of survey and monitoring sites.

Prevalence of substandard and falsified artemisinin-based combination antimalarial medicines on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

PubMed

Kaur, Harparkash; Allan, Elizabeth Louise; Mamadu, Ibrahim; Hall, Zoe; Green, Michael D; Swamidos, Isabel; Dwivedi, Prabha; Culzoni, Maria Julia; Fernandez, Facundo M; Garcia, Guillermo; Hergott, Dianna; Monti, Feliciano

2017-01-01

Poor-quality artemisinin-containing antimalarials (ACAs), including falsified and substandard formulations, pose serious health concerns in malaria endemic countries. They can harm patients, contribute to the rise in drug resistance and increase the public's mistrust of health systems. Systematic assessment of drug quality is needed to gain knowledge on the prevalence of the problem, to provide Ministries of Health with evidence on which local regulators can take action. We used three sampling approaches to purchase 677 ACAs from 278 outlets on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea as follows: convenience survey using mystery client (n=16 outlets, 31 samples), full island-wide survey using mystery client (n=174 outlets, 368 samples) and randomised survey using an overt sampling approach (n=88 outlets, 278 samples). The stated active pharmaceutical ingredients (SAPIs) were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed by mass spectrometry at three independent laboratories. Content analysis showed 91.0% of ACAs were of acceptable quality, 1.6% were substandard and 7.4% falsified. No degraded medicines were detected. The prevalence of medicines without the SAPIs was higher for ACAs purchased in the convenience survey compared with the estimates obtained using the full island-wide survey-mystery client and randomised-overt sampling approaches. Comparable results were obtained for full island survey-mystery client and randomised overt. However, the availability of purchased artesunate monotherapies differed substantially according to the sampling approach used (convenience, 45.2%; full island-wide survey-mystery client, 32.6%; random-overt sampling approach, 21.9%). Of concern is that 37.1% (n=62) of these were falsified. Falsified ACAs were found on Bioko Island, with the prevalence ranging between 6.1% and 16.1%, depending on the sampling method used. These findings underscore the vital need for national authorities to track the scale of ineffective medicines that jeopardise treatment of life-threatening diseases and value of a representative sampling approach to obtain/measure the true prevalence of poor-quality medicines.

How Big of a Problem is Analytic Error in Secondary Analyses of Survey Data?

PubMed

West, Brady T; Sakshaug, Joseph W; Aurelien, Guy Alain S

2016-01-01

Secondary analyses of survey data collected from large probability samples of persons or establishments further scientific progress in many fields. The complex design features of these samples improve data collection efficiency, but also require analysts to account for these features when conducting analysis. Unfortunately, many secondary analysts from fields outside of statistics, biostatistics, and survey methodology do not have adequate training in this area, and as a result may apply incorrect statistical methods when analyzing these survey data sets. This in turn could lead to the publication of incorrect inferences based on the survey data that effectively negate the resources dedicated to these surveys. In this article, we build on the results of a preliminary meta-analysis of 100 peer-reviewed journal articles presenting analyses of data from a variety of national health surveys, which suggested that analytic errors may be extremely prevalent in these types of investigations. We first perform a meta-analysis of a stratified random sample of 145 additional research products analyzing survey data from the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT), which describes features of the U.S. Science and Engineering workforce, and examine trends in the prevalence of analytic error across the decades used to stratify the sample. We once again find that analytic errors appear to be quite prevalent in these studies. Next, we present several example analyses of real SESTAT data, and demonstrate that a failure to perform these analyses correctly can result in substantially biased estimates with standard errors that do not adequately reflect complex sample design features. Collectively, the results of this investigation suggest that reviewers of this type of research need to pay much closer attention to the analytic methods employed by researchers attempting to publish or present secondary analyses of survey data.

How Big of a Problem is Analytic Error in Secondary Analyses of Survey Data?

PubMed Central

West, Brady T.; Sakshaug, Joseph W.; Aurelien, Guy Alain S.

2016-01-01

Secondary analyses of survey data collected from large probability samples of persons or establishments further scientific progress in many fields. The complex design features of these samples improve data collection efficiency, but also require analysts to account for these features when conducting analysis. Unfortunately, many secondary analysts from fields outside of statistics, biostatistics, and survey methodology do not have adequate training in this area, and as a result may apply incorrect statistical methods when analyzing these survey data sets. This in turn could lead to the publication of incorrect inferences based on the survey data that effectively negate the resources dedicated to these surveys. In this article, we build on the results of a preliminary meta-analysis of 100 peer-reviewed journal articles presenting analyses of data from a variety of national health surveys, which suggested that analytic errors may be extremely prevalent in these types of investigations. We first perform a meta-analysis of a stratified random sample of 145 additional research products analyzing survey data from the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT), which describes features of the U.S. Science and Engineering workforce, and examine trends in the prevalence of analytic error across the decades used to stratify the sample. We once again find that analytic errors appear to be quite prevalent in these studies. Next, we present several example analyses of real SESTAT data, and demonstrate that a failure to perform these analyses correctly can result in substantially biased estimates with standard errors that do not adequately reflect complex sample design features. Collectively, the results of this investigation suggest that reviewers of this type of research need to pay much closer attention to the analytic methods employed by researchers attempting to publish or present secondary analyses of survey data. PMID:27355817

Public perceptions of key performance indicators of healthcare in Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Northcott, Herbert C; Harvey, Michael D

2012-06-01

To examine the relationship between public perceptions of key performance indicators assessing various aspects of the health-care system. Cross-sequential survey research. Annual telephone surveys of random samples of adult Albertans selected by random digit dialing and stratified according to age, sex and region (n = 4000 for each survey year). The survey questionnaires included single-item measures of key performance indicators to assess public perceptions of availability, accessibility, quality, outcome and satisfaction with healthcare. Cronbach's α and factor analysis were used to assess the relationship between key performance indicators focusing on the health-care system overall and on a recent interaction with the health-care system. The province of Alberta, Canada during the years 1996-2004. Four thousand adults randomly selected each survey year. Survey questions measuring public perceptions of healthcare availability, accessibility, quality, outcome and satisfaction with healthcare. Factor analysis identified two principal components with key performance indicators focusing on the health system overall loading most strongly on the first component and key performance indicators focusing on the most recent health-care encounter loading most strongly on the second component. Assessments of the quality of care most recently received, accessibility of that care and perceived outcome of care tended to be higher than the more general assessments of overall health system quality and accessibility. Assessments of specific health-care encounters and more general assessments of the overall health-care system, while related, nevertheless comprise separate dimensions for health-care evaluation.

Do adult focused anti-smoking campaigns have an impact on adolescents? The case of the Australian National Tobacco Campaign.

PubMed

White, V; Tan, N; Wakefield, M; Hill, D

2003-09-01

To examine adolescents' awareness of and response to an adult focused anti-smoking advertising campaign. Data were obtained from two cross sectional surveys of adolescents. The first study, a national evaluation study, involved a telephone survey of a randomly selected sample of 400 14-17 year olds across Australia in 1998. The second study involved a survey of 3714 students aged 12-17 years, randomly selected from a probability sample of secondary schools in the Australian State of Victoria. In both surveys, adolescents answered questions on their awareness of the advertising campaign and actions taken in response to the campaign. Adolescents in the national evaluation study also answered questions assessing knowledge of health effects of smoking, impact of the campaign on adolescents, and relevance of the campaign for adolescents and other groups. Responses for smokers and nonsmokers were examined. Among the national evaluation sample, 85% of adolescent smokers thought the campaign was relevant to them. Fifty three per cent indicated that the campaign had led some teenagers to at least try to quit and 85% thought it made smoking seem less cool and desirable. Among students who were established smokers the campaign generated quitting activity, with 27% cutting down the number of cigarettes they smoked and 26% having thought about quitting. Results indicate that adolescents were very aware of this adult focused anti-smoking campaign and thought it relevant to them. The findings suggest that a graphic health effects cessation focused campaign may have been successful in promoting anti-smoking attitudes among adolescents.

Photometric redshift analysis in the Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, C.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Lin, H.; Miquel, R.; Abdalla, F. B.; Amara, A.; Banerji, M.; Bonnett, C.; Brunner, R.; Capozzi, D.; Carnero, A.; Castander, F. J.; da Costa, L. A. N.; Cunha, C.; Fausti, A.; Gerdes, D.; Greisel, N.; Gschwend, J.; Hartley, W.; Jouvel, S.; Lahav, O.; Lima, M.; Maia, M. A. G.; Martí, P.; Ogando, R. L. C.; Ostrovski, F.; Pellegrini, P.; Rau, M. M.; Sadeh, I.; Seitz, S.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Sypniewski, A.; de Vicente, J.; Abbot, T.; Allam, S. S.; Atlee, D.; Bernstein, G.; Bernstein, J. P.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Burke, D.; Childress, M. J.; Davis, T.; DePoy, D. L.; Dey, A.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Doel, P.; Estrada, J.; Evrard, A.; Fernández, E.; Finley, D.; Flaugher, B.; Frieman, J.; Gaztanaga, E.; Glazebrook, K.; Honscheid, K.; Kim, A.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lidman, C.; Makler, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Nichol, R. C.; Roodman, A.; Sánchez, E.; Santiago, B. X.; Sako, M.; Scalzo, R.; Smith, R. C.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Thomas, D.; Tucker, D. L.; Uddin, S. A.; Valdés, F.; Walker, A.; Yuan, F.; Zuntz, J.

2014-12-01

We present results from a study of the photometric redshift performance of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), using the early data from a Science Verification period of observations in late 2012 and early 2013 that provided science-quality images for almost 200 sq. deg. at the nominal depth of the survey. We assess the photometric redshift (photo-z) performance using about 15 000 galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts available from other surveys. These galaxies are used, in different configurations, as a calibration sample, and photo-z's are obtained and studied using most of the existing photo-z codes. A weighting method in a multidimensional colour-magnitude space is applied to the spectroscopic sample in order to evaluate the photo-z performance with sets that mimic the full DES photometric sample, which is on average significantly deeper than the calibration sample due to the limited depth of spectroscopic surveys. Empirical photo-z methods using, for instance, artificial neural networks or random forests, yield the best performance in the tests, achieving core photo-z resolutions σ68 ˜ 0.08. Moreover, the results from most of the codes, including template-fitting methods, comfortably meet the DES requirements on photo-z performance, therefore, providing an excellent precedent for future DES data sets.

Photometric redshift analysis in the Dark Energy Survey Science Verification data

DOE PAGES

Sanchez, C.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Lin, H.; ...

2014-10-09

In this study, we present results from a study of the photometric redshift performance of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), using the early data from a Science Verification period of observations in late 2012 and early 2013 that provided science-quality images for almost 200 sq. deg. at the nominal depth of the survey. We assess the photometric redshift (photo-z) performance using about 15 000 galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts available from other surveys. These galaxies are used, in different configurations, as a calibration sample, and photo-z's are obtained and studied using most of the existing photo-z codes. A weighting method inmore » a multidimensional colour–magnitude space is applied to the spectroscopic sample in order to evaluate the photo-z performance with sets that mimic the full DES photometric sample, which is on average significantly deeper than the calibration sample due to the limited depth of spectroscopic surveys. In addition, empirical photo-z methods using, for instance, artificial neural networks or random forests, yield the best performance in the tests, achieving core photo-z resolutions σ68 ~ 0.08. Moreover, the results from most of the codes, including template-fitting methods, comfortably meet the DES requirements on photo-z performance, therefore, providing an excellent precedent for future DES data sets.« less

Can we estimate molluscan abundance and biomass on the continental shelf?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Eric N.; Mann, Roger; Ashton-Alcox, Kathryn A.; Kuykendall, Kelsey M.; Chase Long, M.

2017-11-01

Few empirical studies have focused on the effect of sample density on the estimate of abundance of the dominant carbonate-producing fauna of the continental shelf. Here, we present such a study and consider the implications of suboptimal sampling design on estimates of abundance and size-frequency distribution. We focus on a principal carbonate producer of the U.S. Atlantic continental shelf, the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima. To evaluate the degree to which the results are typical, we analyze a dataset for the principal carbonate producer of Mid-Atlantic estuaries, the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica, obtained from Delaware Bay. These two species occupy different habitats and display different lifestyles, yet demonstrate similar challenges to survey design and similar trends with sampling density. The median of a series of simulated survey mean abundances, the central tendency obtained over a large number of surveys of the same area, always underestimated true abundance at low sample densities. More dramatic were the trends in the probability of a biased outcome. As sample density declined, the probability of a survey availability event, defined as a survey yielding indices >125% or <75% of the true population abundance, increased and that increase was disproportionately biased towards underestimates. For these cases where a single sample accessed about 0.001-0.004% of the domain, 8-15 random samples were required to reduce the probability of a survey availability event below 40%. The problem of differential bias, in which the probabilities of a biased-high and a biased-low survey index were distinctly unequal, was resolved with fewer samples than the problem of overall bias. These trends suggest that the influence of sampling density on survey design comes with a series of incremental challenges. At woefully inadequate sampling density, the probability of a biased-low survey index will substantially exceed the probability of a biased-high index. The survey time series on the average will return an estimate of the stock that underestimates true stock abundance. If sampling intensity is increased, the frequency of biased indices balances between high and low values. Incrementing sample number from this point steadily reduces the likelihood of a biased survey; however, the number of samples necessary to drive the probability of survey availability events to a preferred level of infrequency may be daunting. Moreover, certain size classes will be disproportionately susceptible to such events and the impact on size frequency will be species specific, depending on the relative dispersion of the size classes.

Supercluster simulations: impact of baryons on the matter power spectrum and weak lensing forecasts for Super-CLASS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Aaron; Brown, Michael L.; Kay, Scott T.; Barnes, David J.

2018-03-01

We use a combination of full hydrodynamic and dark matter only simulations to investigate the effect that supercluster environments and baryonic physics have on the matter power spectrum, by re-simulating a sample of supercluster sub-volumes. On large scales we find that the matter power spectrum measured from our supercluster sample has at least twice as much power as that measured from our random sample. Our investigation of the effect of baryonic physics on the matter power spectrum is found to be in agreement with previous studies and is weaker than the selection effect over the majority of scales. In addition, we investigate the effect of targeting a cosmologically non-representative, supercluster region of the sky on the weak lensing shear power spectrum. We do this by generating shear and convergence maps using a line-of-sight integration technique, which intercepts our random and supercluster sub-volumes. We find the convergence power spectrum measured from our supercluster sample has a larger amplitude than that measured from the random sample at all scales. We frame our results within the context of the Super-CLuster Assisted Shear Survey (Super-CLASS), which aims to measure the cosmic shear signal in the radio band by targeting a region of the sky that contains five Abell clusters. Assuming the Super-CLASS survey will have a source density of 1.5 galaxies arcmin-2, we forecast a detection significance of 2.7^{+1.5}_{-1.2}, which indicates that in the absence of systematics the Super-CLASS project could make a cosmic shear detection with radio data alone.

Comparing the performance of cluster random sampling and integrated threshold mapping for targeting trachoma control, using computer simulation.

PubMed

Smith, Jennifer L; Sturrock, Hugh J W; Olives, Casey; Solomon, Anthony W; Brooker, Simon J

2013-01-01

Implementation of trachoma control strategies requires reliable district-level estimates of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF), generally collected using the recommended gold-standard cluster randomized surveys (CRS). Integrated Threshold Mapping (ITM) has been proposed as an integrated and cost-effective means of rapidly surveying trachoma in order to classify districts according to treatment thresholds. ITM differs from CRS in a number of important ways, including the use of a school-based sampling platform for children aged 1-9 and a different age distribution of participants. This study uses computerised sampling simulations to compare the performance of these survey designs and evaluate the impact of varying key parameters. Realistic pseudo gold standard data for 100 districts were generated that maintained the relative risk of disease between important sub-groups and incorporated empirical estimates of disease clustering at the household, village and district level. To simulate the different sampling approaches, 20 clusters were selected from each district, with individuals sampled according to the protocol for ITM and CRS. Results showed that ITM generally under-estimated the true prevalence of TF over a range of epidemiological settings and introduced more district misclassification according to treatment thresholds than did CRS. However, the extent of underestimation and resulting misclassification was found to be dependent on three main factors: (i) the district prevalence of TF; (ii) the relative risk of TF between enrolled and non-enrolled children within clusters; and (iii) the enrollment rate in schools. Although in some contexts the two methodologies may be equivalent, ITM can introduce a bias-dependent shift as prevalence of TF increases, resulting in a greater risk of misclassification around treatment thresholds. In addition to strengthening the evidence base around choice of trachoma survey methodologies, this study illustrates the use of a simulated approach in addressing operational research questions for trachoma but also other NTDs.

The Design and Implementation of the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health.

PubMed

Ghandour, Reem M; Jones, Jessica R; Lebrun-Harris, Lydie A; Minnaert, Jessica; Blumberg, Stephen J; Fields, Jason; Bethell, Christina; Kogan, Michael D

2018-05-09

Introduction Since 2001, the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA MCHB) has funded and directed the National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN), unique sources of national and state-level data on child health and health care. Between 2012 and 2015, HRSA MCHB redesigned the surveys, combining content into a single survey, and shifting from a periodic interviewer-assisted telephone survey to an annual self-administered web/paper-based survey utilizing an address-based sampling frame. Methods The U.S. Census Bureau fielded the redesigned NSCH using a random sample of addresses drawn from the Census Master Address File, supplemented with a unique administrative flag to identify households most likely to include children. Data were collected June 2016-February 2017 using a multi-mode design, encouraging web-based responses while allowing for paper mail-in responses. A parent/caregiver knowledgeable about the child's health completed an age-appropriate questionnaire. Experiments on incentives, branding, and contact strategies were conducted. Results Data were released in September 2017. The final sample size was 50,212 children; the overall weighted response rate was 40.7%. Comparison of 2016 estimates to those from previous survey iterations are not appropriate due to sampling and mode changes. Discussion The NSCH remains an invaluable data source for key measures of child health and attendant health care system, family, and community factors. The redesigned survey extended the utility of this resource while seeking a balance between previous strengths and innovations now possible.

Influence of Host Community on Industrial Relations Practices and Policies: A Survey of Agbara Community and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chidi, Christopher O.; Shadare, Oluseyi A.

2011-01-01

This study investigated the influence of host community on industrial relations practices and policies using Agbara community and Power Holding Company of Nigeria PLC as a case. The study adopted both the qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 120 samples were drawn from the population using the simple random sampling technique in which…

Aggregating pixel-level basal area predictions derived from LiDAR data to industrial forest stands in North-Central Idaho

Treesearch

Andrew T. Hudak; Jeffrey S. Evans; Nicholas L. Crookston; Michael J. Falkowski; Brant K. Steigers; Rob Taylor; Halli Hemingway

2008-01-01

Stand exams are the principal means by which timber companies monitor and manage their forested lands. Airborne LiDAR surveys sample forest stands at much finer spatial resolution and broader spatial extent than is practical on the ground. In this paper, we developed models that leverage spatially intensive and extensive LiDAR data and a stratified random sample of...

Agricultural Workers in Central California. Volume 1: In 1989; Volume 2: Phase II, 1990-91. California Agricultural Studies, 90-8 and 91-5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarado, Andrew J.; And Others

Two surveys developed profiles of seasonal agricultural workers and their working conditions in central California. In 1989, a random sample of 347 seasonal workers was interviewed. The sample was 30 percent female and 87 percent Mexican-born. Average age was 35 years and average educational attainment was 5.9 years. Most had parents, spouses, or…

Computers in Public Education Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HBJ Enterprises, Highland Park, NJ.

This survey conducted for the National Institute of Education reports the use of computers in U.S. public schools in the areas of instructional computing, student accounting, management of educational resources, research, guidance, testing, and library applications. From a stratified random sample of 1800 schools in varying geographic areas and…

PERSONAL VALUES, BELIEFS, AND ECOLOGICAL RISK PERCEPTION

EPA Science Inventory

A mail survey on ecological risk perception was administered in the summer of 2002 to a randomized sample of the lay public and to selected risk professionals at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The ranking of 24 ecological risk items, from global climate change...

Determinants of Effective Communication among Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anvari, Roya; Atiyaye, Dauda Mohammed

2014-01-01

This study aims to investigate the relationship between effective communication and transferring information. In the present correlational study, a cross-sectional research design was employed, and data were collected using a questionnaire-based survey. 46 students were chosen based on random sampling and questionnaires were distributed among…

The association between pre-hypertension status and oxidative stress markers related to atherosclerotic disease: the ATTICA study.

PubMed

Chrysohoou, Christina; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Pitsavos, Christos; Skoumas, John; Economou, Manolis; Papadimitriou, Lambros; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2007-05-01

We sought to evaluate the association between pre-hypertension status and oxidative stress markers (total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL)), in a random sample of cardiovascular disease-free adults. The ATTICA study is a cross-sectional population-based survey that conducted in Attica region during 2001-2002. Based on a multistage and stratified random sampling, 1514 men and 1528 women (18-89 years old) were enrolled. The survey included a detailed interview; blood samples collected after 12h of fasting and, among other clinical measurements, status of blood pressure levels was evaluated. Six hundred and fifty-three men (43%) and 535 women (35%) were defined as pre-hypertensives. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were inversely correlated with TAC (p<0.001) and positively correlated to oxidized LDL (p<0.001). Particularly, compared to normotensive subjects, pre-hypertensives had 7% lower TAC levels (p<0.001) and 15% higher oxidized LDL levels (p<0.05), after correcting for multiple comparisons and adjusting for age, body mass index, blood lipids, glucose, food groups consumed and other potential confounders. Studying a large sample of cardiovascular disease-free adults, we revealed an association of pre-hypertension with oxidative stress markers linking to atherosclerotic process.

Intra-class correlation estimates for assessment of vitamin A intake in children.

PubMed

Agarwal, Girdhar G; Awasthi, Shally; Walter, Stephen D

2005-03-01

In many community-based surveys, multi-level sampling is inherent in the design. In the design of these studies, especially to calculate the appropriate sample size, investigators need good estimates of intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), along with the cluster size, to adjust for variation inflation due to clustering at each level. The present study used data on the assessment of clinical vitamin A deficiency and intake of vitamin A-rich food in children in a district in India. For the survey, 16 households were sampled from 200 villages nested within eight randomly-selected blocks of the district. ICCs and components of variances were estimated from a three-level hierarchical random effects analysis of variance model. Estimates of ICCs and variance components were obtained at village and block levels. Between-cluster variation was evident at each level of clustering. In these estimates, ICCs were inversely related to cluster size, but the design effect could be substantial for large clusters. At the block level, most ICC estimates were below 0.07. At the village level, many ICC estimates ranged from 0.014 to 0.45. These estimates may provide useful information for the design of epidemiological studies in which the sampled (or allocated) units range in size from households to large administrative zones.

Part-time work among pediatricians expands.

PubMed

Cull, William L; O'Connor, Karen G; Olson, Lynn M

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to track trends in part-time employment among pediatricians from 2000 to 2006 and to examine differences within subgroups of pediatricians. As part of the Periodic Survey of Fellows, national random samples of American Academy of Pediatrics members were surveyed in 2000, 2003, and 2006. These surveys shared questions concerning working part-time and other practice characteristics. Roughly 1600 pediatricians were included in each random sample. Totals of 812 (51%), 1020 (63%), and 1013 (62%) pediatricians completed the surveys in 2000, 2003, and 2006, respectively. Analyses were limited to nonretired, posttrainee pediatricians. The number of pediatricians who reported that they work part-time increased from 15% in 2000, to 20% in 2003, to 23% in 2006. The pattern of increased part-time work from 2000 to 2006 held for many subgroups, including men, women, pediatricians who were younger than 40 years, pediatricians who were aged >or=50 years, pediatricians who worked in an urban inner city, pediatricians who worked in suburban areas, general pediatricians, and subspecialist pediatricians. Those who were working part-time were more satisfied within their professional and personal activities. Part-time pediatricians worked on average 14.3 fewer hours per week in direct patient care. Increases in part-time work are apparent throughout pediatrics. The possible continued growth of part-time is an important trend within the field of pediatrics that will need to be monitored.

Improving public health surveillance using a dual-frame survey of landline and cell phone numbers.

PubMed

Hu, S Sean; Balluz, Lina; Battaglia, Michael P; Frankel, Martin R

2011-03-15

To meet challenges arising from increasing rates of noncoverage in US landline-based telephone samples due to cell-phone-only households, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) expanded a traditional landline-based random digit dialing survey to a dual-frame survey of landline and cell phone numbers. In 2008, a survey of adults with cell phones only was conducted in parallel with an ongoing landline-based health survey in 18 states. The authors used the optimal approach to allocate samples into landline and cell-phone-only strata and used a new approach to weighting state-level landline and cell phone samples. They developed logistic models for each of 16 health indicators to examine whether exclusion of adults with cell phones only affected estimates after adjustment for demographic characteristics. The extents of the potential biases in landline telephone surveys that exclude cell phones were estimated. Biases resulting from exclusion of adults with cell phones only from the landline-based survey were found for 9 out of the 16 health indicators. Because landline noncoverage rates for adults with cell phones only continue to increase, these biases are likely to increase. Use of a dual-frame survey of landline and cell phone numbers assisted the BRFSS efforts in obtaining valid, reliable, and representative data. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2011.

Development of a sampling strategy and sample size calculation to estimate the distribution of mammographic breast density in Korean women.

PubMed

Jun, Jae Kwan; Kim, Mi Jin; Choi, Kui Son; Suh, Mina; Jung, Kyu-Won

2012-01-01

Mammographic breast density is a known risk factor for breast cancer. To conduct a survey to estimate the distribution of mammographic breast density in Korean women, appropriate sampling strategies for representative and efficient sampling design were evaluated through simulation. Using the target population from the National Cancer Screening Programme (NCSP) for breast cancer in 2009, we verified the distribution estimate by repeating the simulation 1,000 times using stratified random sampling to investigate the distribution of breast density of 1,340,362 women. According to the simulation results, using a sampling design stratifying the nation into three groups (metropolitan, urban, and rural), with a total sample size of 4,000, we estimated the distribution of breast density in Korean women at a level of 0.01% tolerance. Based on the results of our study, a nationwide survey for estimating the distribution of mammographic breast density among Korean women can be conducted efficiently.

Rapid assessment of agents of biological terrorism: defining the differential diagnosis of inhalational anthrax using electronic communication in a practice-based research network.

PubMed

Temte, Jonathan L; Anderson, Anna Lisa

2004-01-01

Early detection of bioterrorism requires assessment of diagnoses assigned to cases of rare diseases with which clinicians have little experience. In this study, we evaluated the process of defining the differential diagnosis for inhalational anthrax using electronic communication within a practice-based research network (PBRN) and compared the results with those obtained from a nationwide random sample of family physicians with a mailed instrument. We distributed survey instruments by e-mail to 55 physician members of the Wisconsin Research Network (WReN), a regional PBRN. The instruments consisted of 3 case vignettes randomly drawn from a set describing 11 patients with inhalational anthrax, 2 with influenza A, and 1 with Legionella pneumonia. Physicians provided their most likely nonanthrax diagnosis, along with their responses to 4 yes-or-no management questions for each case. Physicians who had not responded at 1 week received a second e-mail with the survey instrument. The comparison group consisted of the nationwide sample of physicians who completed mailed survey instruments. Primary outcome measures were response rate, median response time, and frequencies of diagnostic categories assigned to cases of inhalational anthrax. The PBRN response rate compared favorably with that of the national sample (47.3% vs 37.0%; P = not significant). The median response time for the PBRN was significantly shorter than that for the national sample (2 vs 28 days; P < .001). No significant differences were found between the PBRN and the Midwest subset of the national sample in the frequencies of major diagnostic categories or in case management. Electronic means of creating differential diagnoses for rare infectious diseases of national significance is feasible within PBRNs. Information is much more rapidly acquired and is consistent with that obtained by conventional methods.

Methods for estimating population coverage of mass distribution programmes: a review of practices in relation to trachoma control.

PubMed

Cromwell, Elizabeth A; Ngondi, Jeremiah; McFarland, Deborah; King, Jonathan D; Emerson, Paul M

2012-10-01

In the context of trachoma control, population coverage with mass drug administration (MDA) using antibiotics is measured using routine data. Due to the limitations of administrative records as well as the potential for bias from incomplete or incorrect records, a literature review of coverage survey methods applied in neglected tropical disease control programmes and immunisation outreach was conducted to inform the design of coverage surveys for trachoma control. Several methods were identified, including the '30 × 7' survey method for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI 30×7), other cluster random sampling (CRS) methods, lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS), purposive sampling and routine data. When compared against one another, the EPI and other CRS methods produced similar population coverage estimates, whilst LQAS, purposive sampling and use of administrative data did not generate estimates consistent with CRS. In conclusion, CRS methods present a consistent approach for MDA coverage surveys despite different methods of household selection. They merit use until standard guidelines are available. CRS methods should be used to verify population coverage derived from LQAS, purposive sampling methods and administrative reports. Copyright © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sources of nonresponse to the Federal Waterfowl Hunter Questionnaire Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, R.J.; Geissler, P.H.; Hoover, B.A.

1992-01-01

Response rates to the Federal Waterfowl Hunter Questionnaire Survey (WHQS) have declined since the 1950's, suggesting that harvest estimates may be biased. Consequently, we investigated reasons for WHQS nonresponse using surveys of waterfowl hunters in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas [USA]. Sampling frames were constructed using lists of buyers of state hunting licenses or state duck stamps. We mailed questionnaires to 16,452 randomly selected hunters, with 2 follow-up mailings at 3-week intervals. Questionnaires were completed by 8,812 respondents, and a further 587 interviews were conducted by telephone. Post offices accounted for between 53.7% (Minn.) and 92.8% (N.J.) of federal waterfowl duck stamp sales, and stores accounted for most other sales. Of hunters who bought a federal waterfowl stamp from sample post offices, between 16.7% (Minn.) and 40.0% (Ark.) reported receiving a WHQS contact card. Of those receiving contact cards, between 30.0% (N.J.) and 64.3% (La. and Tex.) reported returning them. Because survey coverage of the target population is poor, we recommend that a new sampling frame be developed for the WHQS.

Multiple Imputation For Combined-Survey Estimation With Incomplete Regressors In One But Not Both Surveys

PubMed Central

Rendall, Michael S.; Ghosh-Dastidar, Bonnie; Weden, Margaret M.; Baker, Elizabeth H.; Nazarov, Zafar

2013-01-01

Within-survey multiple imputation (MI) methods are adapted to pooled-survey regression estimation where one survey has more regressors, but typically fewer observations, than the other. This adaptation is achieved through: (1) larger numbers of imputations to compensate for the higher fraction of missing values; (2) model-fit statistics to check the assumption that the two surveys sample from a common universe; and (3) specificying the analysis model completely from variables present in the survey with the larger set of regressors, thereby excluding variables never jointly observed. In contrast to the typical within-survey MI context, cross-survey missingness is monotonic and easily satisfies the Missing At Random (MAR) assumption needed for unbiased MI. Large efficiency gains and substantial reduction in omitted variable bias are demonstrated in an application to sociodemographic differences in the risk of child obesity estimated from two nationally-representative cohort surveys. PMID:24223447

Quality of reporting web-based and non-web-based survey studies: What authors, reviewers and consumers should consider.

PubMed

Turk, Tarek; Elhady, Mohamed Tamer; Rashed, Sherwet; Abdelkhalek, Mariam; Nasef, Somia Ahmed; Khallaf, Ashraf Mohamed; Mohammed, Abdelrahman Tarek; Attia, Andrew Wassef; Adhikari, Purushottam; Amin, Mohamed Alsabbahi; Hirayama, Kenji; Huy, Nguyen Tien

2018-01-01

Several influential aspects of survey research have been under-investigated and there is a lack of guidance on reporting survey studies, especially web-based projects. In this review, we aim to investigate the reporting practices and quality of both web- and non-web-based survey studies to enhance the quality of reporting medical evidence that is derived from survey studies and to maximize the efficiency of its consumption. Reporting practices and quality of 100 random web- and 100 random non-web-based articles published from 2004 to 2016 were assessed using the SUrvey Reporting GuidelinE (SURGE). The CHERRIES guideline was also used to assess the reporting quality of Web-based studies. Our results revealed a potential gap in the reporting of many necessary checklist items in both web-based and non-web-based survey studies including development, description and testing of the questionnaire, the advertisement and administration of the questionnaire, sample representativeness and response rates, incentives, informed consent, and methods of statistical analysis. Our findings confirm the presence of major discrepancies in reporting results of survey-based studies. This can be attributed to the lack of availability of updated universal checklists for quality of reporting standards. We have summarized our findings in a table that may serve as a roadmap for future guidelines and checklists, which will hopefully include all types and all aspects of survey research.

The Effect of Random Error on Diagnostic Accuracy Illustrated with the Anthropometric Diagnosis of Malnutrition

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background It is often thought that random measurement error has a minor effect upon the results of an epidemiological survey. Theoretically, errors of measurement should always increase the spread of a distribution. Defining an illness by having a measurement outside an established healthy range will lead to an inflated prevalence of that condition if there are measurement errors. Methods and results A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted of anthropometric assessment of children with malnutrition. Random errors of increasing magnitude were imposed upon the populations and showed that there was an increase in the standard deviation with each of the errors that became exponentially greater with the magnitude of the error. The potential magnitude of the resulting error of reported prevalence of malnutrition were compared with published international data and found to be of sufficient magnitude to make a number of surveys and the numerous reports and analyses that used these data unreliable. Conclusions The effect of random error in public health surveys and the data upon which diagnostic cut-off points are derived to define “health” has been underestimated. Even quite modest random errors can more than double the reported prevalence of conditions such as malnutrition. Increasing sample size does not address this problem, and may even result in less accurate estimates. More attention needs to be paid to the selection, calibration and maintenance of instruments, measurer selection, training & supervision, routine estimation of the likely magnitude of errors using standardization tests, use of statistical likelihood of error to exclude data from analysis and full reporting of these procedures in order to judge the reliability of survey reports. PMID:28030627

Importance of the National Career Development Guidelines to School Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Brenda

1994-01-01

Surveyed opinions of national random sample of school counselors (n=1,510) toward importance of elementary, junior high/middle, and high school competencies in National Career Development Guidelines. Results indicated that school counselors considered the career development competencies in the guidelines to be "important" to "very important"…

Proper Human Relationships: Korean Principals' Leadership Styles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Miles; Son, Jong Ho

In an attempt to better understand the values that Korean educational administrators associate with leadership, researchers surveyed a random sample of 292 subjects in South Korea in the spring of 2000. Using several well-tested instruments, the researchers were able to report findings of relevance to scholars interested in cultural influences on…

78 FR 38297 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; California Recreational Groundfish Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-26

... California scorpionfish. The number and diversity of species caught in this fishery poses a regulatory challenge for State and Federal fisheries managers. Information to be collected pertains to anglers... responses to potential regulatory changes. II. Method of Collection A random sample of recreational anglers...

Justifying a Graduate Program in Communication: Demonstrating Employability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baran, Stanley J.; Shoemaker, F. Floyd

In order to determine the extent of community need for and interest in a proposed graduate program in communication at Cleveland State University, a market research survey was conducted of a random sample of 402 employers from four broad categories: business and industry, the communication industries, nonprofit associations, and government…

College Counselors' Perceptions and Practices regarding Anticipatory Guidance on Firearms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, James; Mrdjenovich, Adam J.; Thompson, Amy; Dake, Joseph A.

2009-01-01

Objectives: This study assessed college counselors' anticipatory guidance on firearms for student clients. Participants: The membership of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors was used to identify a national random sample of counseling centers (n = 361). One counselor from each center was selected to survey.…

Training in Japan: The Use of Instructional Systems Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taguchi, Mina; Keller, John M.

This study investigated the kinds of training conducted in Japanese companies and the degree to which instructional systems design (ISD) is implemented. A random sample of 12 Japanese companies in the banking, automobile manufacturing, electrical machinery, wholesale stores, insurance and securities, and transportation industries were surveyed; a…

Special Education Directors' Views of Community-Based Vocational Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickens, Julie L.; Dymond, Stacy K.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the views of special education directors toward community-based vocational instruction (CBVI). Participants included a non-proportional random sample of 47 directors from one state who completed an online or paper-based survey. Independent variables were directors' years of experience, geographic…

Cigars, Cigarettes, and Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Ashley; Larkin, Elizabeth M. Gaier; Kishore, Sonal; Frank, Scott

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine public health implications of adolescent use of cigars only, cigarettes only, and both cigarettes and cigars. Methods: A cross-sectional health risk survey was administered to a random sample of 4486 high school students in a Midwestern county. Results: More adolescents reported using both cigarettes and cigars (10.6%) than…

Physical Activity among Older People Living Alone in Shanghai, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yu; While, Alison E; Hicks, Allan

2015-01-01

Objective: To investigate physical activity among older people living alone in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, and key factors contributing to their physical activity. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was administered in nine communities in Shanghai, using a stratified random cluster sample: 521 community-dwelling older people…

Determinants of Teachers' Attitudes towards E- Learning in Tanzanian Higher Learning Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisanga, Dalton H.

2016-01-01

This survey research study presents the findings on determinants of teachers' attitudes towards e-learning in Tanzanian higher learning institutions. The study involved 258 teachers from 4 higher learning institutions obtained through stratified, simple random sampling. Questionnaires and documentary review were used in data collection. Data were…

Abundance and population characteristics of Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) in Olympic National Park, Washington

Treesearch

D. Erran Seaman

1997-01-01

We monitored the threatened Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) in Olympic National Park from 1992 through 1996. We used a stratified random sampling scheme to survey 35 plots totaling 236 km?, approximately 10 percent of the forested area of the park.

High School Mathematics Teachers: Grading Practice and Pupil Control Ideology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cicmanec, Karen Mauck; Johanson, George; Howley, Aimee

Survey data gathered from 230 respondents from a random sample of 500 Ohio public school teachers explores the association between teachers' practice of assigning grades based on nonachievement grading factors and teachers' pupil control orientation (PCI). Responding high school mathematics teachers provided information that relates to the use of…

Smokers' Willingness to Protect Children from Secondhand Smoke

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Keith A.; Vidourek, Rebecca A.; Creighton, Stephanie; Vogel, Stephanie

2003-01-01

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of a secondhand smoke media campaign on adult smokers' willingness to protect children from secondhand smoke. Methods: Following a series of community awareness ads, a random sample of 390 adult smokers was surveyed via telephone regarding their perceptions of secondhand smoke. Results: Seeing or hearing…

Women in University Management: The Nigerian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abiodun-Oyebanji, Olayemi; Olaleye, F.

2011-01-01

This study examined women in university management in Nigeria. It was a descriptive research of the survey type. The population of the study comprised all the public universities in southwest Nigeria, out of which three were selected through the stratified random sampling technique. Three hundred respondents who were in management positions were…

Need for Methamphetamine Programming in Extension Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaudreault, Amy R.; Miller, Larry E.

2011-01-01

The study reported sought to identify the prevention education needs involving methamphetamine through survey methodology. The study focused on a random sample of U.S. states and the Extension Directors within each state, resulting in a 70% response rate (n = 134). Findings revealed that 11% reported they had received methamphetamine user…

School Nurse Communication Effectiveness with Physicians and Satisfaction with School Health Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volkman, Julie E.; Hillemeier, Marianne M.

2008-01-01

This study examined school nurses' communication with community physicians and its relationship to school nurse satisfaction with school health services. A stratified random sample of school nurses in Pennsylvania (N = 615) were surveyed about communication effectiveness with community physicians, satisfaction with school health services for…

Anti-Bullying Practices in American Schools: Perspectives of School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherer, Yiping C.; Nickerson, Amanda B.

2010-01-01

A random sample of 213 school psychologists working in a school setting completed a survey on their schools' current anti-bullying practices. Talking with bullies following bullying incidents, disciplinary consequences for bullies, and increasing adult supervision were the three most frequently used strategies. Peer juries/court, an anti-bullying…

Suicide and Firearm Means Restriction: Can Training Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slovak, Karen; Brewer, Thomas W.

2010-01-01

Along with physician education in depression recognition and treatment, restricting lethal methods is an effective suicide prevention strategy. The present study surveyed a random sample (N = 697) of Ohio licensed social workers regarding client firearm assessment and safety counseling. Analyses sought to determine what independent factors would…

Employment in the Catering & Hospitality Industry--Employee Attitudes and Career Expectations. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hotel and Catering Training Co., London (England).

A study examined the attitudes and career expectations of a random sample of catering and hospitality industry employees in the United Kingdom. The survey focused on the following: aspiration and career intentions, factors causing job satisfaction/dissatisfaction, employment patterns in the industry, satisfaction with/access to…

Training Neighborhood Residents to Conduct a Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Back, Susan Malone; Tseng, Wan-Chun; Li, Jiaqi; Wang, Yuanhua; Phan, Van Thanh; Yeter, Ibrahim Halil

2015-01-01

As a requirement for a federal neighborhood revitalization grant, the authors trained resident interviewers and coordinated the conduct of more than 1000 door-to-door interviews of a stratified random sample. The targeted area was a multiethnic, lower income neighborhood that continues to experience the effects of past segregation. Monitoring and…

Urban College Student Self-Report of Hookah Use with Health Care Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jani, Samir Ranjit; Brown, Darryl; Berhane, Zekarias; Peter, Nadja; Solecki, Susan; Turchi, Renee

2018-01-01

Objective: This study's purpose was to describe urban college students' communication about hookah with health care providers. Participants: Participants included a random sample of undergraduate urban college students and health care providers. Methods: Students surveyed determined the epidemiology of hookah use in this population, how many…

Antecedent and Consequence of School Academic Optimism and Teachers' Academic Optimism Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Fu-Yuan

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this research was to examine the relationships among school principals' transformational leadership, school academic optimism, teachers' academic optimism and teachers' professional commitment. This study conducted a questionnaire survey on 367 teachers from 20 high schools in Taiwan by random sampling, using principals'…

The Analysis of Iranian Students' Persistence in Online Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahmodi, Mahdi; Ebrahimzade, Issa

2015-01-01

In the following research, the relationship between instructional interaction and student persistence in e-learning has been analyzed. In order to conduct a descriptive-analytic survey, 744 undergraduate e-students were selected by stratified random sampling method to examine not only the frequency and the methods of establishing an instructional…

A Prestige Scale for Agricultural Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosby, Arthur G.; Frank, Lianne M.

A prestige scale for 50 agricultural and agriculturally related occupations was developed. The scale was constructed utilizing data from a mailed-questionnaire survey conducted during the spring semester of 1977 at 14 universities in the Southern United States. A 15% random sample of undergraduate majors in agriculture at these schools were…

International Education: A Case Study from the University of Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabbar, Sinaria Kamil Abdel

2012-01-01

This paper describes international education at the University of Jordan (UJ). Specifically it investigates a random sample of international students comprising Americans, Europeans and Asians. A field survey approach with qualitative and quantitative dimensions was used. Questionnaires were used to solicit information from the students. In…

Employment of College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High, Robert V.

A survey was conducted to determine the effect on academic performance, if any, of employment on undergraduate college students. A questionnaire was sent to professors at 3 four-year colleges on Long Island (New York); various day classes were randomly selected. The final sample of n=257 represented approximately a 30 percent response. The…

EMP: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Jill

A 2-year study examined the relevance of English-as-a-second-language instructional materials for students in health care fields. The study gathered specific information on common medical activities requiring the use of English and identified problem areas. A random sample of students of medicine, pharmacy, and research science was surveyed, the…

Conducting a wildland visual resources inventory

Treesearch

James F. Palmer

1979-01-01

This paper describes a procedure for systematically inventorying the visual resources of wildland environments. Visual attributes are recorded photographically using two separate sampling methods: one based on professional judgment and the other on random selection. The location and description of each inventoried scene are recorded on U.S. Geological Survey...

Assessing Principals' Quality Assurance Strategies in Osun State Secondary Schools, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fasasi, Yunus Adebunmi; Oyeniran, Saheed

2014-01-01

This paper examined principals' quality assurance strategies in secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 10 male and 10 female principals, and 190 male and190 female teachers. "Secondary School Principal Quality Assurance…

Continuing Dental Education Needs Assessment: A Regional Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Lynda J.; Rudney, Joel D.

1991-01-01

From a random sample of 650 dentists in 6 states, 357 responses indicated preference for 1-day, Friday or Saturday programs, and lecture more than participation or demonstration. Most would like to learn more specialty and new techniques. Dentists averaged 50 hours of continuing education per year. (SK)

Factors Associated with the Fulfillment of Residential Preferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Sean-Shong; Albrecht, Don E.

A 1983 survey of Texas homebuyers reveals a high degree of mismatch between the preferred and actual residence of homebuyers. Such mismatch is examined using social/psychological, life-cycle, racial, socioeconomic, and occupational factors as possible explanations. Questionnaires mailed to a stratified random sample of 960 homebuyers across 12…

The 15-Second Television Commercial: A Study of Executive Perception.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asahina, Roberta R.

An exploratory study examined the perceptions of creative directors and broadcast production managers in advertising agencies regarding the perceived effects of the 15-second commercial upon creative formats and production techniques. A sample of 600 randomly selected advertising executives and managers were surveyed using a 55-item mailed…

Reading Attitudes of Texas High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussert-Webb, Kathy; Zhang, Zhidong

2016-01-01

Through random sampling, we surveyed 2,568 high school students throughout Texas to determine their reading attitudes vis-à-vis individual and school background variables. Sources were the Rhody reading attitude scale and public domain campus summary data; the lenses of attitude theory and social justice informed this study. Significant…

Job Insecurity and Employee Well-Being.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vance, Robert J.; Kuhnert, Karl W.

This study explored the consequences of perceived job security and insecurity on the psychological and physical health of employees. Data were gathered from employees of a large midwestern manufacturing organization that produced products for material removal applications. Surveys were sent through company mail to a stratified random sample of 442…

AGES: THE AGN AND GALAXY EVOLUTION SURVEY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kochanek, C. S.; Eisenstein, D. J.; Caldwell, N.

2012-05-01

The AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES) is a redshift survey covering, in its standard fields, 7.7 deg{sup 2} of the Booetes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. The final sample consists of 23,745 redshifts. There are well-defined galaxy samples in 10 bands (the B{sub W} , R, I, J, K, IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 {mu}m, and MIPS 24 {mu}m bands) to a limiting magnitude of I < 20 mag for spectroscopy. For these galaxies, we obtained 18,163 redshifts from a sample of 35,200 galaxies, where random sparse sampling was used to define statistically complete sub-samples inmore » all 10 photometric bands. The median galaxy redshift is 0.31, and 90% of the redshifts are in the range 0.085 < z < 0.66. Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) were selected as radio, X-ray, IRAC mid-IR, and MIPS 24 {mu}m sources to fainter limiting magnitudes (I < 22.5 mag for point sources). Redshifts were obtained for 4764 quasars and galaxies with AGN signatures, with 2926, 1718, 605, 119, and 13 above redshifts of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. We detail all the AGES selection procedures and present the complete spectroscopic redshift catalogs and spectral energy distribution decompositions. Photometric redshift estimates are provided for all sources in the AGES samples.« less

High School Physics Availability: Results from the 2012-13 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. Focus On

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Susan; Tesfaye, Casey Langer

2014-01-01

In this report, the authors share their analysis of the data from over 3,500 high schools in the U.S. beginning with an examination of the availability of physics in U.S. high schools. The schools in their sample are a nationally-representative random sample of the almost 25,000 high schools in forty-nine of the fifty states. Table 1 shows the…

Comparing Study Populations of Men Who Have Sex with Men: Evaluating Consistency Within Repeat Studies and Across Studies in the Seattle Area Using Different Recruitment Methodologies

PubMed Central

Burt, Richard D.; Oster, Alexandra M.; Golden, Mathew R.; Thiede, Hanne

2013-01-01

There is no gold standard for recruiting unbiased samples of men who have sex with men (MSM). To assess differing recruitment methods, we compared Seattle-area MSM samples from: venue-day-time sampling-based National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) surveys in 2008 and 2011, random-digit-dialed (RDD) surveys in 2003 and 2006, and STD clinic patient data 2001–2011. We compared sociodemographics, sexual and drug-associated behavior, and HIV status and testing. There was generally good consistency between the two NHBS surveys and within STD clinic data across time. NHBS participants reported higher levels of drug-associated and lower levels of sexual risk than STD clinic patients. RDD participants differed from the other study populations in sociodemographics and some risk behaviors. While neither NHBS nor the STD clinic study populations may be representative of all MSM, both appear to provide consistent samples of MSM subpopulations across time that can provide useful information to guide HIV prevention. PMID:23900958

AUTOCLASSIFICATION OF THE VARIABLE 3XMM SOURCES USING THE RANDOM FOREST MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farrell, Sean A.; Murphy, Tara; Lo, Kitty K., E-mail: s.farrell@physics.usyd.edu.au

In the current era of large surveys and massive data sets, autoclassification of astrophysical sources using intelligent algorithms is becoming increasingly important. In this paper we present the catalog of variable sources in the Third XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source catalog (3XMM) autoclassified using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm. We used a sample of manually classified variable sources from the second data release of the XMM-Newton catalogs (2XMMi-DR2) to train the classifier, obtaining an accuracy of ∼92%. We also evaluated the effectiveness of identifying spurious detections using a sample of spurious sources, achieving an accuracy of ∼95%. Manual investigation of amore » random sample of classified sources confirmed these accuracy levels and showed that the Random Forest machine learning algorithm is highly effective at automatically classifying 3XMM sources. Here we present the catalog of classified 3XMM variable sources. We also present three previously unidentified unusual sources that were flagged as outlier sources by the algorithm: a new candidate supergiant fast X-ray transient, a 400 s X-ray pulsar, and an eclipsing 5 hr binary system coincident with a known Cepheid.« less

Health Status of Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Dickerson, Faith B.; Brown, Clayton H.; Daumit, Gail L.; LiJuan, Fang; Goldberg, Richard W.; Wohlheiter, Karen; Dixon, Lisa B.

2006-01-01

We examined indices of the health of persons with serious mental illness. A sample of 100 adults with schizophrenia and 100 with major mood disorder were recruited from randomly selected outpatients who were receiving community-based psychiatric treatment. Participants were surveyed about health indicators using items from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study III and the National Health Interview Survey. Their responses were compared with those of matched samples from the general population surveys. A total of 1% of persons with serious mental illness, compared with 10% from the general population sample, met criteria for all 5 of selected health indicators: nonsmoker, exercise that meets recommended standards, good dentition, absence of obesity, and absence of serious medical co-occurring illness. Within the mentally ill group, educational level, but not a diagnosis of schizophrenia versus mood disorder, was independently associated with a composite measure of health behaviors. We conclude that an examination of multiple health indicators may be used to measure overall health status in persons with serious mental illness. PMID:16469943

Methodological reporting quality of randomized controlled trials: A survey of seven core journals of orthopaedics from Mainland China over 5 years following the CONSORT statement.

PubMed

Zhang, J; Chen, X; Zhu, Q; Cui, J; Cao, L; Su, J

2016-11-01

In recent years, the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the field of orthopaedics is increasing in Mainland China. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are inclined to bias if they lack methodological quality. Therefore, we performed a survey of RCT to assess: (1) What about the quality of RCTs in the field of orthopedics in Mainland China? (2) Whether there is difference between the core journals of the Chinese department of orthopedics and Orthopaedics Traumatology Surgery & Research (OTSR). This research aimed to evaluate the methodological reporting quality according to the CONSORT statement of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in seven key orthopaedic journals published in Mainland China over 5 years from 2010 to 2014. All of the articles were hand researched on Chongqing VIP database between 2010 and 2014. Studies were considered eligible if the words "random", "randomly", "randomization", "randomized" were employed to describe the allocation way. Trials including animals, cadavers, trials published as abstracts and case report, trials dealing with subgroups analysis, or trials without the outcomes were excluded. In addition, eight articles selected from Orthopaedics Traumatology Surgery & Research (OTSR) between 2010 and 2014 were included in this study for comparison. The identified RCTs are analyzed using a modified version of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), including the sample size calculation, allocation sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding and handling of dropouts. A total of 222 RCTs were identified in seven core orthopaedic journals. No trials reported adequate sample size calculation, 74 (33.4%) reported adequate allocation generation, 8 (3.7%) trials reported adequate allocation concealment, 18 (8.1%) trials reported adequate blinding and 16 (7.2%) trials reported handling of dropouts. In OTSR, 1 (12.5%) trial reported adequate sample size calculation, 4 (50.0%) reported adequate allocation generation, 1 (12.5%) trials reported adequate allocation concealment, 2 (25.0%) trials reported adequate blinding and 5 (62.5%) trials reported handling of dropouts. There were statistical differences as for sample size calculation and handling of dropouts between papers from Mainland China and OTSR (P<0.05). The findings of this study show that the methodological reporting quality of RCTs in seven core orthopaedic journals from the Mainland China is far from satisfaction and it needs to further improve to keep up with the standards of the CONSORT statement. Level III case control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Triatoma dimidiata Infestation in Chagas Disease Endemic Regions of Guatemala: Comparison of Random and Targeted Cross-Sectional Surveys

PubMed Central

King, Raymond J.; Cordon-Rosales, Celia; Cox, Jonathan; Kitron, Uriel D.

2011-01-01

Background Guatemala is presently engaged in the Central America Initiative to interrupt Chagas disease transmission by reducing intradomiciliary prevalence of Triatoma dimidiata, using targeted cross-sectional surveys to direct control measures to villages exceeding the 5% control threshold. The use of targeted surveys to guide disease control programs has not been evaluated. Here, we compare the findings from the targeted surveys to concurrent random cross-sectional surveys in two primary foci of Chagas disease transmission in central and southeastern Guatemala. Methodology/Principal Findings Survey prevalences of T. dimidiata intradomiciliary infestation by village and region were compared. Univariate logistic regression was used to assess the use of risk factors to target surveys and to evaluate indicators associated with village level intradomiciliary prevalences >5% by survey and region. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed to assess the ability of random and targeted surveys to target villages with intradomiciliary prevalence exceeding the control threshold within each region. Regional prevalences did not vary by survey; however, village prevalences were significantly greater in random surveys in central (13.0% versus 8.7%) and southeastern (22.7% versus 6.9%) Guatemala. The number of significant risk factors detected did not vary by survey in central Guatemala but differed considerably in the southeast with a greater number of significant risk factors in the random survey (e.g. land surface temperature, relative humidity, cropland, grassland, tile flooring, and stick and mud and palm and straw walls). Differences in the direction of risk factor associations were observed between regions in both survey types. The overall discriminative capacity was significantly greater in the random surveys in central and southeastern Guatemala, with an area under the receiver-operator curve (AUC) of 0.84 in the random surveys and approximately 0.64 in the targeted surveys in both regions. Sensitivity did not differ between surveys, but the positive predictive value was significantly greater in the random surveys. Conclusions/Significance Surprisingly, targeted surveys were not more effective at determining T. dimidiata prevalence or at directing control to high risk villages in comparison to random surveys. We recommend that random surveys should be selected over targeted surveys whenever possible, particularly when the focus is on directing disease control and elimination and when risk factor association has not been evaluated for all regions under investigation. PMID:21532742

Soil Sampling Techniques For Alabama Grain Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, A. N.; Shaw, J. N.; Mask, P. L.; Touchton, J. T.; Rickman, D.

2003-01-01

Characterizing the spatial variability of nutrients facilitates precision soil sampling. Questions exist regarding the best technique for directed soil sampling based on a priori knowledge of soil and crop patterns. The objective of this study was to evaluate zone delineation techniques for Alabama grain fields to determine which method best minimized the soil test variability. Site one (25.8 ha) and site three (20.0 ha) were located in the Tennessee Valley region, and site two (24.2 ha) was located in the Coastal Plain region of Alabama. Tennessee Valley soils ranged from well drained Rhodic and Typic Paleudults to somewhat poorly drained Aquic Paleudults and Fluventic Dystrudepts. Coastal Plain s o i l s ranged from coarse-loamy Rhodic Kandiudults to loamy Arenic Kandiudults. Soils were sampled by grid soil sampling methods (grid sizes of 0.40 ha and 1 ha) consisting of: 1) twenty composited cores collected randomly throughout each grid (grid-cell sampling) and, 2) six composited cores collected randomly from a -3x3 m area at the center of each grid (grid-point sampling). Zones were established from 1) an Order 1 Soil Survey, 2) corn (Zea mays L.) yield maps, and 3) airborne remote sensing images. All soil properties were moderately to strongly spatially dependent as per semivariogram analyses. Differences in grid-point and grid-cell soil test values suggested grid-point sampling does not accurately represent grid values. Zones created by soil survey, yield data, and remote sensing images displayed lower coefficient of variations (8CV) for soil test values than overall field values, suggesting these techniques group soil test variability. However, few differences were observed between the three zone delineation techniques. Results suggest directed sampling using zone delineation techniques outlined in this paper would result in more efficient soil sampling for these Alabama grain fields.

Multiple sensitive estimation and optimal sample size allocation in the item sum technique.

PubMed

Perri, Pier Francesco; Rueda García, María Del Mar; Cobo Rodríguez, Beatriz

2018-01-01

For surveys of sensitive issues in life sciences, statistical procedures can be used to reduce nonresponse and social desirability response bias. Both of these phenomena provoke nonsampling errors that are difficult to deal with and can seriously flaw the validity of the analyses. The item sum technique (IST) is a very recent indirect questioning method derived from the item count technique that seeks to procure more reliable responses on quantitative items than direct questioning while preserving respondents' anonymity. This article addresses two important questions concerning the IST: (i) its implementation when two or more sensitive variables are investigated and efficient estimates of their unknown population means are required; (ii) the determination of the optimal sample size to achieve minimum variance estimates. These aspects are of great relevance for survey practitioners engaged in sensitive research and, to the best of our knowledge, were not studied so far. In this article, theoretical results for multiple estimation and optimal allocation are obtained under a generic sampling design and then particularized to simple random sampling and stratified sampling designs. Theoretical considerations are integrated with a number of simulation studies based on data from two real surveys and conducted to ascertain the efficiency gain derived from optimal allocation in different situations. One of the surveys concerns cannabis consumption among university students. Our findings highlight some methodological advances that can be obtained in life sciences IST surveys when optimal allocation is achieved. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Post-stratification sampling in small area estimation (SAE) model for unemployment rate estimation by Bayes approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanike, Yusrianti; Sadik, Kusman; Kurnia, Anang

2016-02-01

This research implemented unemployment rate in Indonesia that based on Poisson distribution. It would be estimated by modified the post-stratification and Small Area Estimation (SAE) model. Post-stratification was one of technique sampling that stratified after collected survey data. It's used when the survey data didn't serve for estimating the interest area. Interest area here was the education of unemployment which separated in seven category. The data was obtained by Labour Employment National survey (Sakernas) that's collected by company survey in Indonesia, BPS, Statistic Indonesia. This company served the national survey that gave too small sample for level district. Model of SAE was one of alternative to solved it. According the problem above, we combined this post-stratification sampling and SAE model. This research gave two main model of post-stratification sampling. Model I defined the category of education was the dummy variable and model II defined the category of education was the area random effect. Two model has problem wasn't complied by Poisson assumption. Using Poisson-Gamma model, model I has over dispersion problem was 1.23 solved to 0.91 chi square/df and model II has under dispersion problem was 0.35 solved to 0.94 chi square/df. Empirical Bayes was applied to estimate the proportion of every category education of unemployment. Using Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC), Model I has smaller mean square error (MSE) than model II.

CHAracteristics of research studies that iNfluence practice: a GEneral survey of Canadian orthopaedic Surgeons (CHANGES): a pilot survey.

PubMed

de Sa, Darren; Thornley, Patrick; Evaniew, Nathan; Madden, Kim; Bhandari, Mohit; Ghert, Michelle

2015-01-01

Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is increasingly being applied to inform clinical decision-making in orthopaedic surgery. Despite the promotion of EBM in Orthopaedic Surgery, the adoption of results from high quality clinical research seems highly unpredictable and does not appear to be driven strictly by randomized trial data. The objective of this study was to pilot a survey to determine if we could identify surgeon opinions on the characteristics of research studies that are perceived as being most likely to influence clinical decision-making among orthopaedic surgeons in Canada. A 28-question electronic survey was distributed to active members of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) over a period of 11 weeks. The questionnaire sought to analyze the influence of both extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics of research studies and their potential to influence practice patterns. Extrinsic factors included the perceived journal quality and investigator profiles, economic impact, peer/patient/industry influence and individual surgeon residency/fellowship training experiences. Intrinsic factors included study design, sample size, and outcomes reported. Descriptive statistics are provided. Of the 109 members of the COA who opened the survey, 95 (87%) completed the survey in its entirety. The overall response rate was 11% (95/841). Surgeons achieved consensus on the influence of three key designs on their practices: 1) randomized controlled trials 94 (99%), 2) meta-analysis 83 (87%), and 3) systematic reviews 81 (85%). Sixty-seven percent of surgeons agreed that studies with sample sizes of 101-500 or more were more likely to influence clinical practice than smaller studies (n = <100). Factors other than design influencing adoption included 1) reputation of the investigators (99%) and 2) perceived quality of the journal (75%). Although study design and sample size (i.e. minimum of 100 patients) have some influence on clinical decision making, surgeon respondents are equally influenced by investigator reputation and perceived journal quality. At present, continued emphasis on the generation of large, methodologically sound clinical trials remains paramount to translating research findings to clinical practice changes. Specific to this pilot survey, strategies to solicit more widespread responses will be pursued.

Comparing Methods of Assessing Dog Rabies Vaccination Coverage in Rural and Urban Communities in Tanzania

PubMed Central

Sambo, Maganga; Johnson, Paul C. D.; Hotopp, Karen; Changalucha, Joel; Cleaveland, Sarah; Kazwala, Rudovick; Lembo, Tiziana; Lugelo, Ahmed; Lushasi, Kennedy; Maziku, Mathew; Mbunda, Eberhard; Mtema, Zacharia; Sikana, Lwitiko; Townsend, Sunny E.; Hampson, Katie

2017-01-01

Rabies can be eliminated by achieving comprehensive coverage of 70% of domestic dogs during annual mass vaccination campaigns. Estimates of vaccination coverage are, therefore, required to evaluate and manage mass dog vaccination programs; however, there is no specific guidance for the most accurate and efficient methods for estimating coverage in different settings. Here, we compare post-vaccination transects, school-based surveys, and household surveys across 28 districts in southeast Tanzania and Pemba island covering rural, urban, coastal and inland settings, and a range of different livelihoods and religious backgrounds. These approaches were explored in detail in a single district in northwest Tanzania (Serengeti), where their performance was compared with a complete dog population census that also recorded dog vaccination status. Post-vaccination transects involved counting marked (vaccinated) and unmarked (unvaccinated) dogs immediately after campaigns in 2,155 villages (24,721 dogs counted). School-based surveys were administered to 8,587 primary school pupils each representing a unique household, in 119 randomly selected schools approximately 2 months after campaigns. Household surveys were conducted in 160 randomly selected villages (4,488 households) in July/August 2011. Costs to implement these coverage assessments were $12.01, $66.12, and $155.70 per village for post-vaccination transects, school-based, and household surveys, respectively. Simulations were performed to assess the effect of sampling on the precision of coverage estimation. The sampling effort required to obtain reasonably precise estimates of coverage from household surveys is generally very high and probably prohibitively expensive for routine monitoring across large areas, particularly in communities with high human to dog ratios. School-based surveys partially overcame sampling constraints, however, were also costly to obtain reasonably precise estimates of coverage. Post-vaccination transects provided precise and timely estimates of community-level coverage that could be used to troubleshoot the performance of campaigns across large areas. However, transects typically overestimated coverage by around 10%, which therefore needs consideration when evaluating the impacts of campaigns. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these different methods and make recommendations for how vaccination campaigns can be better monitored and managed at different stages of rabies control and elimination programs. PMID:28352630

The evolving practice of nuclear cardiology: results from the 2011 ASNC member survey.

PubMed

Tilkemeier, Peter; Green, Jacqueline; Einstein, Andrew J; Fazel, Reza; Reames, Patricia; Shaw, Leslee J

2012-12-01

Today's imaging laboratories face challenges including reimbursement, prior authorization, and accreditation standards. The impact on the practice of nuclear cardiology in the United States is unknown. We conducted a survey of ASNC members to provide a snapshot of nuclear cardiology imaging laboratories in 2011. The survey identified practice patterns including personnel, volumes, protocols used, and laboratory characteristics. We employed random sampling methodology stratified geographically. The response rate was 19.5% (73/374 laboratories). A non-random survey conducted in 2001 of 25 laboratories served as a comparator. A total of 73 laboratories, representing 202 physicians and 177 technologists responded. The reported median procedural volume was 1,225 studies annually; 88.9% of laboratories were accredited. Compared with 2001, dual isotope imaging protocol use dropped from 72% to 15.6%. Five markers of quality were surveyed. Half of laboratories use the American College of Cardiology's Appropriate Use Criteria, 61% used segmental scoring, and 32% provided guidance on post-test therapeutic management. 89% perform catheterization correlations while only 33% implemented radiation dose tracking. This survey of ASNC members provides critical information on nuclear cardiology practice to better target and service our members' needs. These data can prove invaluable to target educational needs and inform healthcare policy of contemporary nuclear cardiology practice.

Application of randomized response techniques for investigating cannabis use by Spanish university students.

PubMed

Cobo, Beatriz; Rueda, Mª Mar; López-Torrecillas, Francisca

2017-12-01

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in developed countries, and has a significant impact on mental and physical health in the general population. Although the evaluation of levels of substance use is difficult, a method such as the randomized response technique (RRT), which includes both a personal component and an assurance of confidentiality, provides a combination which can achieve a considerable degree of accuracy. Various RRT surveys have been conducted to measure the prevalence of drug use, but to date no studies have been made of the effectiveness of this approach in surveys with respect to quantitative variables related to drug use. This paper describes a probabilistic, stratified sample of 1146 university students asking sensitive quantitative questions about cannabis use in Spanish universities, conducted using the RRT. On comparing the results of the direct question (DQ) survey and those of the randomized response (RR) survey, we find that the number of cannabis cigarettes consumed during the past year (DQ = 3, RR = 17 approximately), and the number of days when consumption took place (DQ = 1, RR = 7) are much higher with RRT. The advantages of RRT, reported previously and corroborated in our study, make it a useful method for investigating cannabis use. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Statistical Application and Cost Saving in a Dental Survey.

PubMed

Chyou, Po-Huang; Schroeder, Dixie; Schwei, Kelsey; Acharya, Amit

2017-06-01

To effectively achieve a robust survey response rate in a timely manner, an alternative approach to survey distribution, informed by statistical modeling, was applied to efficiently and cost-effectively achieve the targeted rate of return. A prospective environmental scan surveying adoption of health information technology utilization within their practices was undertaken in a national pool of dental professionals (N=8000) using an alternative method of sampling. The piloted approach to rate of cohort sampling targeted a response rate of 400 completed surveys from among randomly targeted eligible providers who were contacted using replicated subsampling leveraging mailed surveys. Two replicated subsample mailings (n=1000 surveys/mailings) were undertaken to project the true response rate and estimate the total number of surveys required to achieve the final target. Cost effectiveness and non-response bias analyses were performed. The final mailing required approximately 24% fewer mailings compared to targeting of the entire cohort, with a final survey capture exceeding the expected target. An estimated $5000 in cost savings was projected by applying the alternative approach. Non-response analyses found no evidence of bias relative to demographics, practice demographics, or topically-related survey questions. The outcome of this pilot study suggests that this approach to survey studies will accomplish targeted enrollment in a cost effective manner. Future studies are needed to validate this approach in the context of other survey studies. © 2017 Marshfield Clinic.

Statistical Application and Cost Saving in a Dental Survey

PubMed Central

Chyou, Po-Huang; Schroeder, Dixie; Schwei, Kelsey; Acharya, Amit

2017-01-01

Objective To effectively achieve a robust survey response rate in a timely manner, an alternative approach to survey distribution, informed by statistical modeling, was applied to efficiently and cost-effectively achieve the targeted rate of return. Design A prospective environmental scan surveying adoption of health information technology utilization within their practices was undertaken in a national pool of dental professionals (N=8000) using an alternative method of sampling. The piloted approach to rate of cohort sampling targeted a response rate of 400 completed surveys from among randomly targeted eligible providers who were contacted using replicated subsampling leveraging mailed surveys. Methods Two replicated subsample mailings (n=1000 surveys/mailings) were undertaken to project the true response rate and estimate the total number of surveys required to achieve the final target. Cost effectiveness and non-response bias analyses were performed. Results The final mailing required approximately 24% fewer mailings compared to targeting of the entire cohort, with a final survey capture exceeding the expected target. An estimated $5000 in cost savings was projected by applying the alternative approach. Non-response analyses found no evidence of bias relative to demographics, practice demographics, or topically-related survey questions. Conclusion The outcome of this pilot study suggests that this approach to survey studies will accomplish targeted enrollment in a cost effective manner. Future studies are needed to validate this approach in the context of other survey studies. PMID:28373286

A National survey of methyl tert-butyl ether and other volatile organic compounds in drinking-water sources: Results of the random source-water survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grady, Stephen J.

2002-01-01

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was detected in source water used by 8.7 percent of randomly selected community water systems (CWSs) in the United States at concentrations that ranged from 0.2 to 20 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The Random Survey conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Oregon Health & Science University, was designed to provide an assessment of the frequency of detection, concentration, and distribution of MTBE, three other ether gasoline oxygenates, and 62 other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground- and surface-water sources used for drinking-water supplies. The Random Survey was the first of two components of a national assessment of the quality of source water supplying CWSs sponsored by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation. A total of 954 CWSs were selected for VOC sampling from the population of nearly 47,000 active, self-supplied CWSs in all 50 States, Native American Lands, and Puerto Rico based on a statistical design that stratified on CWS size (population served), type of source water (ground and surface water), and geographic distribution (State).At a reporting level of 0.2 μg/L, VOCs were detected in 27 percent of source-water samples collected from May 3, 1999 through October 23, 2000. Chloroform (in 13 percent of samples) was the most frequently detected of 42 VOCs present in the source-water samples, followed by MTBE. VOC concentrations were generally less than 10 μg/L 95 percent of the 530 detections and 63 percent were less than 1.0 μg/L. Concentrations of 1,1-dichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, vinyl chloride, and total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), however, exceeded drinking-water regulations in eight samples.Detections of most VOCs were more frequent in surface-water sources than in ground-water sources, with gasoline compounds collectively and MTBE individually detected significantly more often in surface water. Use of personal and commercial motorized watercraft on surface-water bodies that are drinking-water sources is probably the reason for the elevated detections of gasoline contaminants relative to ground water. MTBE detections demonstrated a seasonal pattern with more frequent detections in surface water in summer months, which is consistent with seasonal watercraft use.The detection frequency of most VOCs was significantly related to urban land use and population density. Detections of any VOC, non-trihalo-methane compounds, gasoline compounds collectively, the specific gasoline compounds benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), MTBE, solvents, and refrigerants were significantly greater in areas with more than 60 percent urban land use and (or) population density greater than 1,000 people per square mile than in source waters from less urbanized or lower population-density areas. MTBE detections were five times more frequent in source waters from areas with high MTBE use than in source waters from low or no MTBE use, but, unlike other gasoline compounds, MTBE detections were not significantly related to the density of gasoline storage tanks near drinking-water sources.

[CardiReset: general medicine and monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors in a whole region].

PubMed

Vanuzzo, Diego; Samani, Fabio; Canciani, Luigi; Paduano, Romano; Pilotto, Lorenza; Bader, Giovanni; Mirolo, Renata; Battigelli, Doriano; Panfilo, Marina; Fattori, Maria Grazia; Simon, Giorgio; Zanier, Loris

2009-01-01

The CardioRESET project was carried out in 2005 to evaluate the feasibility of a cardiovascular risk factor survey by general practitioners in Friuli Venezia Giulia, a north-eastern Italian region. We randomized 2701 subjects (1336 males and 1365 females), aged 35-74 years, from the general population. The family doctors surveyed the randomized population sample using the standardized methods of the Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare, a reference national survey. The participation rate was 85.4% and all variables were recorded at least in 60% of subjects. Mean values of risk factors, prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes and data on their control, smoking habits were comparable with data from the Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare; only the mean value of low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia was higher in our region. This experience points out that in a small region it is possible to engage general practitioners to achieve a standardized surveillance of cardiovascular risk factors at a low cost.

Internet and Internet Use: Teacher Trainees' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akinoglu, Orhan

2009-01-01

The aim of this study is to present the development and issues of internet and internet use. The study has a descriptive survey design and 185 randomly selected teacher trainees at Marmara University, Ataturk Education Faculty in the 2001-2002 academic year constitute the sample. Data were collected via a questionnaire prepared by the researcher…

Mechanisms of Learning Transfer in Adventure Education: Qualitative Results from the NOLS Transfer Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibthorp, Jim; Furman, Nate; Paisley, Karen; Gookin, John; Schumann, Scott

2011-01-01

Transfer of learning from adventure programs remains of critical interest to adventure education professionals. Although some research has investigated what transfers, notably less has focused on mechanisms that might influence transfer. This paper explores the mechanisms of transfer reported by a stratified random sample of National Outdoor…

Postadoption and Guardianship: An Evaluation of the Adoption Preservation, Assessment, and Linkage Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liao, Minli; Testa, Mark

2016-01-01

Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of the Adoption Preservation, Assessment, and Linkage (APAL) postpermanency program. Method: A quasi-experimental, posttest-only design was used to estimate the program's effects on youth discharged from foster care to adoption or legal guardianship. A random sample was surveyed (female = 44.7%; African…

Assimilating and Following through with Nutritional Recommendations by Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pich, Jordi; Ballester, Lluis; Thomas, Monica; Canals, Ramon; Tur, Josep A.

2011-01-01

Objective: To investigate the relationship between knowledge about a healthy diet and the actual food consumption habits of adolescents. Design: A survey of several food-related aspects applied to a representative sample of adolescents. Setting: One thousand, six hundred and sixty three individuals aged 11 to 18 from 40 schools randomly selected…

Duration of Sleep and ADHD Tendency among Adolescents in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Lawrence T.; Yang, L.

2008-01-01

Objective: This study investigates the association between duration of sleep and ADHD tendency among adolescents. Method: This population-based health survey uses a two-stage random cluster sampling design. Participants ages 13 to 17 are recruited from the total population of adolescents attending high school in one city of China. Duration of…

College Students and AIDS: AIDS Communication and Involvement Effects on Sexual Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Randy; McCain, Thomas

The purpose of this study was to describe college students' AIDS communication and explore the relationships between AIDS communication, involvement, and sexual behavior. A non-random sample of 334 college students was surveyed. AIDS message discrimination and multiple indicators of involvement were tested for associations with sexual behavior…

Collaborative Job Training in Rural Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Gary Paul; Galetto, Valeria; Haines, Anna

2003-01-01

We examine collaborative efforts by employers to provide job training in rural areas and assess how this collaboration affects the willingness of employers to train workers. Data are drawn from a telephone survey conducted in 2001 of a stratified random sample of 1,590 nonmetropolitan firms in the U.S. The literature on job training suggests that…

The Influence of Leadership Practices on Faculty Job Satisfaction in Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afam, Clifford C.

2012-01-01

Using a correlational, cross-sectional study design with self-administered questionnaires, this study explored the extent to which leadership practices of deans and department heads influence faculty job satisfaction in baccalaureate degree nursing programs. Using a simple random sampling technique, the study survey was sent to 400 faculty…

Cultural Diversity of Los Angeles County Residents Using Undeveloped Natural Areas

Treesearch

Patrick T. Tierney; Rene F. Dahl; Chavez Deborah J.

1998-01-01

A model of ethnic participation at undeveloped natural areas was developed and tested. The proposed model included the constructs of socio-economic status, perceived discrimination, assimilation, and ethnicity. Undeveloped natural areas were defined as being located outside of cities and primarily natural in composition. A telephone survey of a stratified random sample...

Training Matters: Vocational Education and Training in the Retail Sector.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forrester, K. P.; And Others

Available vocational education and training in the United Kingdom's retail sector were examined in an employee-centered study during which data were collected primarily from two sources: questionnaires completed by 1,974 from a random sample of approximately 6,000 British retail employees who were surveyed, and semistructured face-to-face…

An Examination of Green School Practices in Atlanta Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Tak Cheung

2013-01-01

The primary goal of this study is to examine green environmental practices exercised in maintaining healthy schools in Atlanta. A forty-item researcher-developed instrument was used to survey 30 randomly sampled schools in the Atlanta area. Five schools particularly strong in green environment implementation were visited to observe their green…

The Relationship between Teachers' Personality Factors and Their Compliance with Administrative Directives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Janet C.

The relationship between teachers' personality factors and their willingness to comply with administrative directives is examined in this report. A random sample of 200 elementary school teachers in Mississippi received mailed questionnaires, of which 158, or 79 percent, responded. Survey instruments included the Wilkes and Blackbourn Zones of…

Reputation and Image: Some Connections to Resource Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoagland, Steven R.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to extend knowledge about the external environment in which educational organizations operate and the patterns by which their resource flows translate into sources of uncertainty. Methods include examination of cross sectional and longitudinal data from secondary sources and a survey on a random sample of 80 public…

Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Urban Community Gardeners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaimo, Katherine; Packnett, Elizabeth; Miles, Richard A.; Kruger, Daniel J.

2008-01-01

Objective: To determine the association between household participation in a community garden and fruit and vegetable consumption among urban adults. Design: Data were analyzed from a cross-sectional random phone survey conducted in 2003. A quota sampling strategy was used to ensure that all census tracts within the city were represented. Setting:…

An Empirical Study on the Job Satisfaction of College Graduates in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Changjun, Yue

2014-01-01

This study used nationwide, randomly sampled data from the Peking University Institute of Economics of Education 2011 survey of college graduates to conduct an empirical analysis of their job satisfaction. The results indicate that work-related factors have a significant effect on the job satisfaction of college graduates, while nonwork factors…

Benefits of Multiple Methods for Evaluating HIV Counseling and Testing Sites in Pennsylvania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Encandela, John A.; Gehl, Mary Beth; Silvestre, Anthony; Schelzel, George

1999-01-01

Examines results from two methods used to evaluate publicly funded human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing in Pennsylvania. Results of written mail surveys of all sites and interviews from a random sample of 30 sites were similar in terms of questions posed and complementary in other ways. (SLD)

Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours. Concerning Education for Sustainable Development: Two Exploratory Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michalos, Alex C.; Creech, Heather; McDonald, Christina; Kahlke, P. Maurine Hatch

2011-01-01

Celebrating the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), this paper presents results of two exploratory surveys taken in the province of Manitoba, Canada in January to March 2008. A random sample of 506 adults completed a mailed out questionnaire designed to measure respondents' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours concerning…

Exceptional Children and Microcomputers, A Survey of Public School Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowner, T. Timothy

Telephone interviews on the use of microcomputers in special education were administered to personnel in 25 districts (drawn from a random sample of the largest school districts in the United States) on the following topics: coordination of microcomputers; numbers of microcomputers owned and used; pragmatic uses; funding; brands used; selection,…

Literacy, Information and Communication Technology as Tools for Empowerment of Inmates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Tenibiaje Dele

2012-01-01

The study investigated the present position of literacy, information and communication technology (ICT) in prisons by examining the perception of inmates. The study adopted a descriptive survey using structured questionnaire and observation guides on a randomly and purposively drawn sample of 664 inmates out of a population of 47,628 inmates…

Recreational Prescription Drug Use among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolek, Ethan A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore recreational prescription drug use among undergraduate students. Although anecdotal accounts on this subject abound, empirical research is extremely limited. Data from a survey of a random sample of 734 students at a large public research university in the Northeast were examined. Results indicate that a…

Barriers and Effective Educational Strategies to Develop Extension Agents' Professional Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakai, Dona; Jayaratne, K. S. U.; Moore, Gary E.; Kistler, Mark J.

2012-01-01

The study reported here determined the barriers and effective educational strategies to develop Extension agents' professional competencies. This was a descriptive survey research conducted with a random sample of Extension agents. Increased workload and lack of time and funding were identified as the most constraining barriers of Extension agents…

MPA and CPM Curriculum: An Analysis of the Views of Public Administrators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Bruce J.

Views of state public administrators about management education and training needs were investigated, as were administrator views concerning short-term management development workshops. Data was drawn from responses to questionnaires mailed to 5,980 state administrators who were selected from a national survey and from random samples using lists…

A Study of Teachers' Perception of Schools' Organizational Health in Osun State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Omoyemiju, Michael Adeniyi; Adediwura, Alaba Adeyemi

2011-01-01

This study examined the teachers' perceptions of school organizational health (i.e. resource support, job satisfaction among staff, morale boosts, institutional integrity and initiating structure). Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The sample was composed of 330 secondary school teachers randomly selected from 283, 826 secondary…

The Social Standing of a Married Woman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilson, Linda Burzotta

1976-01-01

The traditional manner of designating a married womans' social status by her husbands' occupational attainment is questioned, and a framework is proposed for re-conceptualizing a married womans' social standing in terms of both her own and her husbands' occupational attainments. Presents the results of a Milwaukee area survey of a random sample of…

An Employer Needs Assessment for Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muraski, Ed J.; Whiteman, Dick

An employer needs assessment study was performed at Porterville College (PC), in California in 1991 as part of a comprehensive educational planning process for PC and the surrounding area. A validated survey instrument was sent to a stratified random sampling of 593 employers in the community, asking them to provide general information about their…

Screening and Brief Intervention for Tobacco Use by Student Health Providers on College Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutfin, Erin L.; McNamara, Robert S.; Blocker, Jill N.; Ip, Edward H.; O'Brien, Mary Claire; Wolfson, Mark

2012-01-01

Objective: This study assessed college students' reports of tobacco screening and brief intervention by student health center providers. Participants: Participants were 3,800 students from 8 universities in North Carolina. Methods: Web-based survey of a stratified random sample of undergraduates. Results: Fifty-three percent reported ever visiting…

Sexual Health Among Male College Students in the United States and the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Brian; Sandfort, Theo G. M.; Yarber, William L.; de Wit, John

2005-01-01

Objectives: To assess differences in sexual health behaviors, outcomes, and potential sociocultural determinants among male college students in the United States and the Netherlands. Methods: Survey data were collected from random samples of students from both national cultures. Results: American men were more likely to report inadequate…

TAFE Teachers: Facing the Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kronemann, Michaela

Nearly 1,000 technical and further education (TAFE) teachers in Australia responded to a national survey to determine the impact of funding cuts, constant changes, and restructuring on their work and family life. More than 2,000 questionnaires were sent to a random sample of education union members, approximately 1,700 women and 300 men. In…

Barriers to Distance Education in Rural Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvin, Matthew J.; Hannum, Wallace H.; Varre, Claire de la; Farmer, Thomas W.

2010-01-01

The primary purpose of the current study was to examine barriers to the use of distance education and explore related factors in small and low-income rural schools. Data were collected via a telephone survey with administrators or other qualified personnel. The sample involved 417 randomly selected small and low-income rural school districts…

Predictors of Self-Regulated Learning in Malaysian Smart Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yen, Ng Lee; Bakar, Kamariah Abu; Roslan, Samsilah; Luan, Wong Su; Abd Rahman, Petri Zabariah Mega

2005-01-01

This study sought to uncover the predictors of self-regulated learning in Malaysian smart schools. The sample consisted of 409 students, from six randomly chosen smart schools. A quantitative correlational research design was employed and the data were collected through survey method. Six factors were examined in relation to the predictors of…

Parents' Self-Reporting of Child Physical Maltreatment in Yuncheng City, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Yating; Chen, Jingqi; Xiao, Wanqing; Wang, Fuman; Zhang, Man

2011-01-01

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of child physical maltreatment (CPM) by parents in a city locating in central-western region of China and identify associated risk factors. Methods: Cross-sectional survey was carried out among a randomly sampled population of primary school students' parents in Yuncheng City. Data on parental CPM during…

An Employer Needs Assessment for Vocational Education: Palomar Community College District.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muraski, Ed J.; Barker, Cherie

A study was conducted to determine the employment needs within the Palomar Community College District. Surveys were mailed to a stratified random sample of 600 North San Diego County employers, requesting respondents to provide information on type and size of business, to rank the occupational programs offered by Palomar according to employment…

Maneuvering the Role as a Community College Artist-Educator: Scholarship Assessed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, John R.; Murray, John P.

2009-01-01

This study examined how Texas community college artist-educators balance artistic productivity with their teaching responsibilities. The 98 survey respondents represented 76.6% of a stratified random sample of the full-time instructors in visual arts departments within the 50 Texas public community college districts. Access to studio space and…

Impact Evaluation of Further Mathematics Curriculum in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odili, Godwin Alo; Asuru, Vincent A.

2011-01-01

This research was a perceptual survey study carried out to determine whether the goals of Further Mathematics Curriculum (FMC) are being achieved at the Senior Secondary School level. The sample for the study consisted of 240 FM final year students, 45 FM teachers and 180 undergraduates who were selected by a multistage stratified random sampling…

Perceptions of Elementary School Children's Parents Regarding Sexuality Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Christine M.; Telljohann, Susan K.; Price, James H.; Dake, Joseph A.; Glassman, Tavis

2015-01-01

This study examined the preferences of parents of elementary school-aged children regarding when sexuality topics should be discussed in school and at home. The survey was mailed to a national random sample of parents of elementary school age children. Overall, 92% of parents believed that sexuality education should be taught in schools.…

Physician Job Satisfaction across Six Major Specialties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffy, Ryan D.; Richard, George V.

2006-01-01

A random sample of 763 physicians was surveyed to examine the relation of 18 critical work-related factors to job satisfaction. On the whole, physicians reported that they were satisfied with their careers and believed that caring for patients, sense of accomplishment, continuity of care, autonomy, and personal time were the five most important…

Business and Older Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Retired Persons, Washington, DC.

This study updates a 1985 study which examined the perceptions, policies, and practices of American business regarding older workers, and placed them in the context of larger economic, demographic, and social trends shaping the business climate. The new survey was conducted in July 1989 among a random sample of 400 companies, with 100 each in 4…

Perceptions of Online Credentials for School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jayson W.; McLeod, Scott; Dikkers, Amy Garrett

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of human resource directors in the USA about online credentials earned by K-12 school principals and principal candidates. Design/methodology/approach: In this mixed methods study, a survey was sent to a random sample of 500 human resource directors in K-12 school districts…

Behavioural Problems of Juvenile Street Hawkers in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Udoh, Nsisong A.; Joseph, Eme U.

2012-01-01

The study sought the opinions of Faculty of Education Students of University of Uyo on the behavioural problems of juvenile street hawkers in Uyo metropolis. Five research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. This cross-sectional survey employed multi-stage random sampling technique in selecting 200 regular undergraduate students in the…

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Professional Opinion Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greeno, Elizabeth J.; Hughes, Anne K.; Hayward, R. Anna; Parker, Karen L.

2007-01-01

The Professional Opinion Scale (POS) was developed to measure social work values orientation. Objective: A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the POS. Method: This cross-sectional study used a mailed survey design with a national random (simple) sample of members of the National Association of Social Workers. Results: The study…

AIP Report, 1989 Salaries: Society Membership Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellman, Dawn; Scholz, Catherine

This report examines the variations in salaries by degree level, employment sector, geographic location, and work activity among members of the scientific labor force and educational system. The data are based on a stratified random sample of one-sixth of the U.S. membership of the American Institute of Physics Member Societies; approximately…

A Catalog of Tasks, Performance Objectives, Performance Guides, Tools, and Equipment, Homemaker Human Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Betty; And Others

This catalog was designed to provide performance objectives and performance guides associated with current occupational information relating to the job of homemaker. The performance objectives and guides were developed following a literature review and a survey of random samples of homemakers in the five participating states (Alabama, Florida,…

Conflict in the Workplace: Social Workers as Victims and Perpetrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ringstad, Robin

2005-01-01

Conflict and violence in the workplace have emerged as a real but inadequately explored concern in the social work profession. The present study surveyed a national random sample of 1,029 NASW members about their experiences with client violence and with physical and psychological assault in relationship to practice setting, age, gender, and…

Alternative Forms of Communicated Knowledge and Their Effects on Australian Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, John M.; And Others

A questionnaire survey of a random sample of 415 elementary and secondary teachers in the state of Victoria (Australia) sought to determine how research knowledge is disseminated to educators, what the most effective diffusion routes are, and what impact the knowledge has on educational practice. The researchers distinguished between written and…

Public-Private Partnership and Infrastructural Development in Nigerian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oduwaiye, R. O.; Sofoluwe, A. O.; Bello, T. O.; Durosaro, I. A.

2014-01-01

This study investigated the degree to which Public-Private Partnership (PPP) services are related to infrastructural development in Nigerian Universities. The research design used was descriptive survey method. The population for the study encompassed all the 20 universities in South-west Nigeria. Stratified random sampling was used to select 12…

Assessing Professional Openness to a Novel Publication Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFiore, Roberta M.; Kramer, Thomas J.

In response to criticism of the peer review publication process, a study surveyed a random sample of 600 members of the American Psychological Association (APA) to determine (1) whether professional openness exists regarding the publication of a journal highlighting studies that, due to a difficulty in the experimental procedure, would usually be…

Effects of spatial allocation and parameter variability on lakewide estimates from surveys of Lake Superior, North America’s largest lake

EPA Science Inventory

Lake Superior was sampled in 2011 using a Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified design (n=54 sites) to characterize biological and chemical properties of this huge aquatic resource, with statistical confidence. The lake was divided into two strata (inshore <100m and offsh...

American Student Attitudes Toward Foreign Students Before and During an International Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matross, Ronald; And Others

1980-01-01

Attitudes of a random sample of students at a large university toward foreign students and international programs were surveyed before and after the seizure of U.S. hostages in Iran. A newly developed "International Issues Questionnaire" covered attitudes toward foreign students as teaching assistants, funding exchange programs with…

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in a College Population: General Trends and Sex Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitlock, Janis; Muehlenkamp, Jennifer; Purington, Amanda; Eckenrode, John; Barreira, Paul; Abrams, Gina Baral; Marchell, Tim; Kress, Victoria; Girard, Kristine; Chin, Calvin; Knox, Kerry

2011-01-01

Objective: To describe basic nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) characteristics and to explore sex differences. Methods: A random sample from 8 universities were invited to participate in a Web-based survey in 2006-2007; 38.9% (n = 14,372) participated. Analysis assessed sex differences in NSSI prevalence, practices, severity, perceived dependency,…

Student Attitudes toward Bibliographic Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damko, Ellen E.

This study was designed to determine what value, if any, college students place upon library use instruction. A survey conducted on a random sample of college and university students working at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, during the summer of 1990 was designed to determine the type and amount of library instruction each student…

Tobacco, Depression, and Lifestyle Choices in the Pivotal Early College Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenz, Brenda K.

2004-01-01

The author explored the correlates of tobacco use among 18-and 19-year-old students at a major midwestern university. A sample of 203 randomly selected freshmen and sophomore students completed a survey that included questions about tobacco use, other drug use, mental health issues, eating disorders, stress, smoking environment, and healthy…

Mental Health and Clinical Correlates in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Jon E.; Odlaug, Brian L.; Derbyshire, Katherine; Schreiber, Liana R. N.; Lust, Katherine; Christenson, Gary

2014-01-01

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of mental health disorders and their clinical correlates in a university sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) students. Participants: College students at a large public university. Methods: An anonymous, voluntary survey was distributed via random e-mail generation to university students…

An Investigation of the Difficulties Faced by EFL Undergraduates in Speaking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Jamal, Dina A.; Al-Jamal, Ghadeer A.

2014-01-01

Since speaking well in English is crucial for English language literature undergraduates, the present study aimed at describing difficulties that may be encountered at an EFL setting. The sample was stratified random as drawn from six Jordanian public universities. Survey questionnaires as well as semi-structured interviews were constructed. 64…

Psychological Sources of Systematic Rejection Among White and Black Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Samuel

In this study, individual-oriented and system-oriented models of systemic rejection among white and black adolescents are investigated. Systemic rejection is defined as attitudes of political alienation and political violence justification. Twelve hypotheses were generated and tested using survey data collected in May 1976 from a random sample of…

Epidemiology of Attention Problems among Turkish Children and Adolescents: A National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erol, Nese; Simsek, Zeynep; Oner, Ozgur; Munir, Kerim

2008-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiology of attention problems using parent, teacher, and youth informants among a nationally representative Turkish sample. Method: The children and adolescents, 4 to 18 years old, were selected from a random household survey. Attention problems derived from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (N = 4,488), Teacher…

Sexual Coercion and Aggression on Campus: Characteristics of Offenders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenberg, James W.; And Others

This study investigated the social, moral/ethical, and personality characteristics, and the social beliefs/attitudes differentiating male college students who engage in sexual assault or coercion from those who do not. Subjects consisted of a random sample of 243 male university students. The Sexual Experiences Survey (SES; Koss & Oros, 1982) was…

Relationship between Study Habits and Test Anxiety of Higher Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Arul A. S.

2014-01-01

The present study aims to probe the relationship between study habits and test anxiety of higher secondary students. In this normative study survey method was employed. The population for the present study consisted of higher secondary students studying in Tirunelveli district. The investigator used the simple random sampling technique. The sample…

SEDIMENT MICROBIAL RESPIRATION IN A SYNOPTIC SURVEY OF MID-ATLANTIC REGION STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

l. The rate of microbial respiration on fine-grained stream sediments was measured at 196 first-to third-order sites in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.2. Sample collection took place between April and July in 1993, 1994 and 1995.3. Study streams were randomly sele...

Mitigating budget constraints on visitation volume surveys: the case of U.S. National forests

Treesearch

Ashley E. Askew; Donald B.K. English; Stanley J. Zarnoch; Neelam C. Poudyal; J.M. Bowker

2014-01-01

Stratified random sampling (SRS) provides a scientifically based estimate of a population comprising mutually exclusive, homogenous subgroups. In the National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) program, SRS is used to estimate recreation visitation and visitor characteristics across activities on National forests. However, with rising costs and declining budgets, carrying...

Sticker Shock: Management Professors' Perspectives on the Rising Costs of College Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Stan; Stevens, Robert E.; Silver, Lawrence S.; Clow, Kenneth E.

2011-01-01

This study uses Internet survey methodology to target management instructors' views on the cost of textbooks and the strategies that might be exercised by universities, publishers, and legislatures to control cost increases. From a random sample of 2,893 management professors selected, using university websites, from universities throughout the…

Counselors' Perceptions of Ethical Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neukrug, Edward S.; Milliken, Tammi

2011-01-01

A random sample of American Counseling Association members was asked to respond to a 77-item survey of counselor behaviors and identify whether each behavior was ethical or unethical. Results are categorized by behaviors in which 90% of counselors agreed, 75% to 90% agreed, and 25% to 50% disagreed. Also, changes in ethics education were reviewed…

Use of Weighted Vests in Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Laurette J.; Moulton, Heather J.

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate pediatric occupational therapists' general experience and practice with weighted vests and their impressions about whether weighted vests are effective in changing specific behaviors of children with whom they have used weighted vests. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 514 pediatric occupational…

Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing and Associated Risk Factors in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennison, Olivia; Wu, Qishan; Ickes, Melinda

2014-01-01

Objective: This study documents the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in a sample of college students and examines associated demographic and behavioral characteristics. Participants: College students aged 18 or older were randomly selected to participate in a health behavior survey at a southeastern university in September…

Anemia, micronutrient deficiencies, and malaria in children and women in Sierra Leone prior to the Ebola outbreak

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To identify the factors associated with anemia and to document the severity of micronutrient deficiencies, malaria and inflammation, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted. A three-stage sampling procedure was used to randomly select children <5 years of age and adult women...

Internal Challenges Affecting Academic Performance of Student-Athletes in Ghanaian Public Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apaak, Daniel; Sarpong, Emmanuel Osei

2015-01-01

This paper examined internal challenges affecting academic performance of student-athletes in Ghanaian public universities, using a descriptive survey research design. Proportionate random sampling technique was employed to select Three Hundred and Thirty-Two (332) respondents for the study. The instrument used in gathering data for the study was…

Congruence of Standard Setting Methods for a Nursing Certification Examination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fabrey, Lawrence J.; Raymond, Mark R.

The American Nurses' Association certification provides professional recognition beyond licensure to nurses who pass an examination. To determine the passing score as it would be set by a representative peer group, a survey was mailed to a random sample of 200 recently certified nurses. Three questions were asked: (1) what percentage of examinees…

Primary Teacher Trainees Preparedness to Teach Science: A Gender Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutisya, Sammy M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine Primary Teacher Education (PTE) Trainees' perceptions regarding their preparedness to teach science in primary schools. A descriptive survey research design was used and stratified proportionate random sampling techniques used to select 177 males and 172 females. The study found out that more male trainee…

Enrolled Nurses: A Study for the UKCC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seccombe, I.; Smith, G.; Buchan, J.; Ball, J.

Selected issues of concern to second-level enrolled (registered) nurses in the United Kingdom were examined through national surveys of two groups: (1) a random sample of 21,762 of the 115,459 nurses holding second-level registration in the United Kingdom, and (2) 700 employers who, included nurse executive directors in all National Health Service…

Faculty Preparedness to Build Cultural Inclusiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuels, Dena Renee

2010-01-01

Faculty members play a significant role in retaining diverse students, faculty, and staff on a college campus based on how culturally inclusive their behavior is. This research elucidates the development of a faculty inclusiveness survey, and tests it on a national random sample of 637 faculty members to determine how prepared they are to build…

Employees' Knowledge of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandy-Goldston, Terrie M.

A study examined employees' knowledge of the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), its prevention, and their legal rights after being diagnosed with CTS. A 24-item questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 30 Chicago-area employees who had been afflicted with CTS. Of those surveyed, 99% considered their CTS injury related to their…

Evaluation of Residential Consumers Knowledge of Wireless Network Security and Its Correlation with Identity Theft

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kpaduwa, Fidelis Iheanyi

2010-01-01

This current quantitative correlational research study evaluated the residential consumers' knowledge of wireless network security and its relationship with identity theft. Data analysis was based on a sample of 254 randomly selected students. All the study participants completed a survey questionnaire designed to measure their knowledge of…

Employer Needs Assessment Results for Pima County Employers, 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pima Community Coll., Tucson, AZ. Office of Research and Planning.

In an effort to inform the program and services review, develop new instructional programs, and assist marketing efforts at Pima Community College (PCC), in Arizona, a survey was conducted in fall 1992 of Pima County employers' training needs, employment needs, and opinions about PCC. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 759 local…

Media Embedded Interactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, J. David

A review of literature and two surveys, one of college students and one of a random sample of adults, were used to examine four aspects of media embedded interactions (social behavior in front of a TV or radio): their functions, their environment, their effects, and the reactions of the interactants to them. Television is seen as performing a…

Psychosocial Determinants of Conflict-Handling Behaviour of Workers in Oil Sector in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bankole, Akanji Rafiu

2011-01-01

The study examined the joint and relative influence of three psychosocial factors: Emotional intelligence, communication skill and interpersonal skill on conflict-handling behaviour of oil workers in Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted and a sample of 610 workers was randomly selected from oil companies across the country. Data were…

Relationships among Taiwanese Children's Computer Game Use, Academic Achievement and Parental Governing Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Duen-Yian; Cheng, Ching-Hsue

2016-01-01

This study examined the relationships among children's computer game use, academic achievement and parental governing approach to propose probable answers for the doubts of Taiwanese parents. 355 children (ages 11-14) were randomly sampled from 20 elementary schools in a typically urbanised county in Taiwan. Questionnaire survey (five questions)…

Male versus Female Attitudes toward Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Louis, Kenneth O.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The study investigated the extent to which differences existed between public attitudes of males versus females. Method: One hundred adults, 50 males and 50 females, were chosen at random from each of 50 study samples comprising a total of 3371 respondents in a database archive who had completed the "Public Opinion Survey of Human…

An Analysis of Rural Unemployment Using a Human Resources Development Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Napier, Ted L.; Jarrett, Charles W.

Investigation indicated factors other than human resource variables must be used to understand unemployment status. Based on a 1979 survey of a random sample (N=640) of rural adult California residents from a multi-county development district, 15 human resource development factors (including educational level, job training, match of work skills…

Identifying key demographic parameters of a small island–associated population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Reunion, Indian Ocean)

PubMed Central

Estrade, Vanessa; Fayan, Jacques

2017-01-01

Photo-identification surveys of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were conducted from 2009 to 2014 off Reunion Island (55°E33’/21°S07’), in the Indian Ocean. Robust Design models were applied to produce the most reliable estimate of population abundance and survival rate, while accounting for temporary emigration from the survey area (west coast). The sampling scheme consisted of a five-month (June–October) sampling period in each year of the study. The overall population size at Reunion was estimated to be 72 individuals (SE = 6.17, 95%CI = 61–85), based on a random temporary emigration (γ”) of 0.096 and a proportion of 0.70 (SE = 0.03) distinct individuals. The annual survival rate was 0.93 (±0.018 SE, 95%CI = 0.886–0.958) and was constant over time and between sexes. Models considering gender groups indicated different movement patterns between males and females. Males showed null or quasi-null temporary emigration (γ” = γ’ < 0.01), while females showed a random temporary emigration (γ”) of 0.10, suggesting that a small proportion of females was outside the survey area during each primary sampling period. Sex-specific temporary migration patterns were consistent with movement and residency patterns observed in other areas. The Robust Design approach provided an appropriate sampling scheme for deriving island-associated population parameters, while allowing to restrict survey effort both spatially (i.e. west coast only) and temporally (five months per year). Although abundance and survival were stable over the six years, the small population size of fewer than 100 individuals suggested that this population is highly vulnerable. Priority should be given to reducing any potential impact of human activity on the population and its habitat. PMID:28640918

Prevalence of substandard and falsified artemisinin-based combination antimalarial medicines on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

PubMed Central

Kaur, Harparkash; Allan, Elizabeth Louise; Mamadu, Ibrahim; Hall, Zoe; Green, Michael D; Swamidos, Isabel; Dwivedi, Prabha; Culzoni, Maria Julia; Fernandez, Facundo M; Garcia, Guillermo; Hergott, Dianna; Monti, Feliciano

2017-01-01

Introduction Poor-quality artemisinin-containing antimalarials (ACAs), including falsified and substandard formulations, pose serious health concerns in malaria endemic countries. They can harm patients, contribute to the rise in drug resistance and increase the public’s mistrust of health systems. Systematic assessment of drug quality is needed to gain knowledge on the prevalence of the problem, to provide Ministries of Health with evidence on which local regulators can take action. Methods We used three sampling approaches to purchase 677 ACAs from 278 outlets on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea as follows: convenience survey using mystery client (n=16 outlets, 31 samples), full island-wide survey using mystery client (n=174 outlets, 368 samples) and randomised survey using an overt sampling approach (n=88 outlets, 278 samples). The stated active pharmaceutical ingredients (SAPIs) were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed by mass spectrometry at three independent laboratories. Results Content analysis showed 91.0% of ACAs were of acceptable quality, 1.6% were substandard and 7.4% falsified. No degraded medicines were detected. The prevalence of medicines without the SAPIs was higher for ACAs purchased in the convenience survey compared with the estimates obtained using the full island-wide survey-mystery client and randomised-overt sampling approaches. Comparable results were obtained for full island survey-mystery client and randomised overt. However, the availability of purchased artesunate monotherapies differed substantially according to the sampling approach used (convenience, 45.2%; full island-wide survey-mystery client, 32.6%; random-overt sampling approach, 21.9%). Of concern is that 37.1% (n=62) of these were falsified. Conclusion Falsified ACAs were found on Bioko Island, with the prevalence ranging between 6.1% and 16.1%, depending on the sampling method used. These findings underscore the vital need for national authorities to track the scale of ineffective medicines that jeopardise treatment of life-threatening diseases and value of a representative sampling approach to obtain/measure the true prevalence of poor-quality medicines. PMID:29082025

Mental Health Impact of Hosting Disaster Refugees: Analyses from a Random Sample Survey Among Haitians Living in Miami.

PubMed

Messiah, Antoine; Lacoste, Jérôme; Gokalsing, Erick; Shultz, James M; Rodríguez de la Vega, Pura; Castro, Grettel; Acuna, Juan M

2016-08-01

Studies on the mental health of families hosting disaster refugees are lacking. This study compares participants in households that hosted 2010 Haitian earthquake disaster refugees with their nonhost counterparts. A random sample survey was conducted from October 2011 through December 2012 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Haitian participants were assessed regarding their 2010 earthquake exposure and impact on family and friends and whether they hosted earthquake refugees. Using standardized scores and thresholds, they were evaluated for symptoms of three common mental disorders (CMDs): posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder (MDD). Participants who hosted refugees (n = 51) had significantly higher percentages of scores beyond thresholds for MDD than those who did not host refugees (n = 365) and for at least one CMD, after adjusting for participants' earthquake exposures and effects on family and friends. Hosting refugees from a natural disaster appears to elevate the risk for MDD and possibly other CMDs, independent of risks posed by exposure to the disaster itself. Families hosting refugees deserve special attention.