Dear List
I put this to the President of the Indian Market Research Bureau because
they do more surveys than the medical community do.
His response may interest the list
"The declining rates that one observes with response rates have more to do
with attitudinal change in the target population (more pressures on time), a
less than satisfactory experience with participating in such studies than
with the sheer number of such surveys.
In my view, it would be difficult to estimate " saturation" levels. At best
one can avoid periods of intense polling (e.g. prior to a election),or
government-sponsored census-type studies but in most other periods there
would be little significance in keeping track of polling surveys as the
impact of other concurrent surveys is not likely to material affect the
response rates of any single survey.
Rgds,
tp."
At 09:29 AM 1/9/01 -0500, you wrote:
>Apologies for cross posting ....
>
>I know there is not an easy answer to the following question, but I
>would appreciate any feedback you might have:
>
>Is there saturation point for the number of telephone surveys a
>community can take without beginning to damage the reponse rate
>of a new survey? We know that telephone survey response rates
>have been declining. However, in current decision making on
>whether to carry out a desired survey, should an agency attempt to
>account for other major random telephone surveys also underway
>in the jurisdiction at the particular time? How would one calculate
>whether the community is so saturated with other surveys that one
>should not proceed? One might worry about effects on both (1) risk
>of repeat calls and response rates among individuals solicited,
>AND (2) community perceptions or confusion regarding multiple
>releases of information (to media and other key community
>informants). One can take steps to mitigate public
>confusion/distrust and increase the likelihood of completed calls,
>but is there a saturation point? Will one more survey make a
>difference?
>
>Perhaps you can recall written material on this topic, or have an
>opinion/conclusion based on your experience with random
>telephone survey work.
>
>Many thanks for any responses.
>
>Catherine Steinweis
>Catherine Steinweis, MPA
>Evaluation Specialist
>Simcoe County District Health Unit
>15 Sperling Drive, Barrie, ON L4M 6K9
>705/721-7462 Ext. 316
>
>
From
Puliyel
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