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Factors associated with frequency of responding to electronic surveys among students attending a large minority-serving university: The Student Behavioral Health Survey (SBHS-Web)
Methods: The SBHS-Web (response=7.9%) aimed to measure sensitive behaviors among students, and the effect of improved design of email notifications (standard [S] vs. innovative [I]) and pre-notification (P) on response. Email addresses of 8,000 active students were randomly selected and allocated into four conditions of equal size: S, SP, I, IP. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors of never/rarely and sometimes (vs. usually/always) responding to previous university-sent, electronic surveys.
Results: Median age of respondents was 23 years (range 18-60). Most were undergraduates (77%), female (60%), Hispanic (59%), and employed (59%). Odds of never/rarely responding to electronic surveys (vs. usually/always) were greater among students who were male (AOR=2.04**); 3rd+-year undergraduates (vs. graduate/professional) (AOR=2.42**); and allocated in groups SP (AOR=2.28*) and IP (AOR=3.26***) (vs. S). Odds of sometimes responding were greater among students with similar characteristics: male (AOR=1.61*); 3rd+-year undergraduates (AOR=1.78*); and allocation in groups SP (AOR=2.96**), I (AOR=1.95*), and IP (AOR=2.61***)(*p<0.05;**p<0.01;***p<0.001).
Conclusion: Improved design of email notifications and use of pre-notification may be promising methods of increasing response among students who infrequently respond to electronic surveys.
Learning Areas:
EpidemiologyPublic health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Identify factors associated with students never/rarely responding (vs. usually/always responding) to electronic surveys sent via email by their university.
Identify factors associated with students sometimes responding (vs. usually/always responding) to electronic surveys sent via email by their university.
Keyword(s): College Students, Data Collection and Surveillance
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the co-investigator on multiple research projects, including the team responsible for developing and implementing the Student Behavioral Health Survey (SBHS-Web). I have also been the lead analyst on many research projects and thus am knowledgeable on the statistical techniques required for this study. Currently I am a PhD student studying public health/epidemiology. I hold a bachelor's of science in statistics and a masters in public health with a concentration in biostatistics.
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.