216250 Revising the YTS questionnaire: Results from a 2007-2008 split-ballot experiment

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Alissa O'Halloran, MSPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Monique Young, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Anna Teplinskaya, MD , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Kiersten Adams, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Charlotte Steeh, PhD , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
In 2007 and 2008, Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) split-ballot experiments were conducted in Virginia and Mississippi to identify whether changes were needed to the YTS questionnaire to improve data quality. We evaluated the hypothesis that modifying the wording of survey questions would enable respondents to interpret and answer questions easier, resulting in significant differences in the distribution of responses. We changed zero from a numeric to a text field in a response option to determine if this change would clarify the meaning of the category for nonsmokers, and decrease both the number of students choosing the text category, and the amount of missing data.

YTS data was collected from 11,521 students and used in this analysis. Results from a standard and test questionnaire were compared across questions in both states' questionnaires. Missing data was defined as blank, out of range, or inconsistent answers as defined by our editing procedures. Rao-Scott chi-square tests were used to determine statistical significance between standard and test versions at p<0.05.

Overall, there were few significant differences between the test and standard questionnaire versions, and the amount of missing data did not decline. The data indicated that text rather than zero decreased the number of students selecting that option but it did not decrease the percentage of missing data. Some particular changes to the wording of questions were also indicated.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the split-ballot experiment and the analytic procedures used to improve questions on the Youth Tobacco Survey and enhance the quality of the data.

Keywords: Survey, Tobacco

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I process and analyze data from the Youth Tobacco Survey, in addition to providing technical assistance to states conducting these surveys.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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