Extreme heat events caused by high environmental temperatures are considered a major cause of weather-related deaths and injury in the United States. These events can result in a spectrum of conditions known as heat-related illnesses (HRIs), which range from minor to life threating symptoms. In Arizona, HRIs account for more than 2,000 emergency room visits and 118 deaths each year. In 2012, there were a total of 1,572 emergency department visits related to HRIs.
Survey Methods
Description
Today, surveyors in both the private and public sectors are facing considerable challenges with random digit dialed (RDD) landline telephone samples. The population coverage rates for landline telephone surveys are being eroded by wireless-only households, portable telephone numbers, telecommunication barriers (e.g., call forwarding, call blocking and pager connections), technological barriers (call-blocking, busy circuits) and increased refusal rates and privacy concerns. Addressing these issues increasingly drives up the costs associated with dual-frame telephone surveys designed to be representative of the target population as well as hinders their ability to be fully representative of the adult population of each state and territory in the United States. In an effort to continue to meet these challenges head on and assist state and territorial public health professionals in the continued collection of data that are representative of their respective populations, novel approaches to behavioral health surveillance need continued examination. Both private and public sector researchers are evaluating the use of Internet opt-in panels to augment dual-frame RDD survey methods. Compared to dual-frame RDD, opt-in Internet panels offer lower costs, quick data collection and dissemination, and the ability to gather additional data on panelists over time. However, as with dual-frame RDD, this mode has similar challenges with coverage error and non-response. Nevertheless, survey methodologists are moving forward and exploring ways to reduce or eliminate biases between the sample and the target population.
Objective
To present the design and preliminary results of a pilot study to investigate the use of opt-in Internet panel surveys for behavioral health surveillance.