Given the Increasing Bias in Random Digit Dial Sampling, Could Respondent-Driven Sampling be a Practical Alternative?

Purpose Increasing cellular phone service and nonresponse are causing random digit dial (RDD) users to search for alternative ways of sampling geographically large populations. This study evaluated the feasibility and utility in using a modified version of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) as an alte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of epidemiology 2011-04, Vol.21 (4), p.272-279
Main Authors: Lee, Robin, PhD, Ranaldi, Jennifer, MPH, Cummings, Michelle, BS, Crucetti, James B., MD, MPH, Stratton, Howard, PhD, McNutt, Louise-Anne, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Censuses
Data Collection - economics
Data Collection - methods
Data Collection - statistics & numerical data
Demography
Epidemiologic Methods
Feasibility Studies
Female
Health Status
Health Surveys
Humans
Internal Medicine
Interviews as Topic - methods
Male
Middle Aged
New York
Sampling Studies
Selection Bias
Sex Distribution
Telephone
Telephone - trends
United States
Young Adult
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Summary:Purpose Increasing cellular phone service and nonresponse are causing random digit dial (RDD) users to search for alternative ways of sampling geographically large populations. This study evaluated the feasibility and utility in using a modified version of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) as an alternative method. Methods Using RDS, 469 residents of Albany County, New York were enrolled into a telephone-based health survey. Participants answered health and RDS feasibility questions. Results were compared to a previously collected RDD sample and census data. Results Participation was high (81.4%) and participants referred at least one peer 65.9% of the time. The RDS method produced a more ethnically diverse sample, otherwise respondent demographics were similar to the RDD sample. The most common reason for participating (51.9%) was because a peer told them about the study; 44.9% would not have participated in an RDD study. Persons not willing to participate in a RDD study reported being less healthy and less likely to participate in healthy activities (e.g., have a physical exam in the past 24 months). Conclusions Although more research is needed, RDS methods may be developed into a viable alternative for collecting health data from large general populations.
ISSN:1047-2797
1873-2585
DOI:10.1016/j.annepidem.2010.11.018