Health survey methods

Teacher(s)

Demarest Stefaan; Gisle Lydia; Henrard Séverine; Lorant Vincent (coordinator);

Language

English

Prerequisites

The course is limited to students having a good level of English.

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

Main themes

Evidence-based decision making in health policy requires to have health data readily available and monitored over time. One way to achieve this goal and obtain valid health-related information is to conduct health surveys. Such surveys also offer an important source of data for epidemiologic research as they allow estimating, amongst other, the prevalence of disorders in a specific population, the use of and access to health care services, the distribution of risky health behaviours across various population groups, or the observance of preventive behaviours. This course is intended to introduce students to the principles of survey methodology and practical aspects of survey design and implementation in the context of health research. It will allow students to conceive and design a survey to gather health-related information that meets a specific research question. This course is instrumental for all students planning to gather their own data/or use survey data in the context of their master or PhD thesis.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	·        Goal: By the end of this course, the student will have learned how to develop a complete survey protocol to answer a specific research question. More specifically, he/she will understand how to: ·        Formulate a research question and develop hypotheses that can be studied using survey methods. ·        Define a sampling frame and determine an appropriate sample method and sample size for a survey ·        Define and operationalize constructs and variables for survey research. ·        Select and evaluate scales and develop basic questions used in health-related surveys. ·        Develop and test a reliable and valid survey questionnaire. ·        Select and apply the mode of data-collection that best fits for a particular survey research. ·        Understand the advantages and disadvantages of new methods of data collection and develop a short web-based questionnaire. ·        Prepare the survey data for analysis (e.g. creating a data dictionary, checking for errors, data entry, data cleaning, etc.). Communicate the results of the survey to different audiences

Content

Survey protocol,
Instruments and development of questionnaire
Survey sampling
Data collection and web survey,
Essay presentation and discussion
Data management and communication of survey results
Evaluation

Teaching methods

lectures, exercises, readings and final essay. 

Evaluation methods

The students will be evaluated based on the development of a health survey protocol. The student can choose to write the protocol either in English or in French. The topic of the survey protocol will be chosen by the student. This topic must be approved by the tutors before the start of the exercise and in particular in the lecture devoted to the essay discussion. For this, each student must provide a brief description of (1) the aim of the survey; (2) the target population; (3) the content of the survey. More details on this exercise will be added to Moodle website later on. The survey must address the aspects discussed during this course (conceptual definitions, sampling issues, development of instruments and questionnaire, outline of fieldwork procedures, '). The protocols are assessed in terms of completeness, originality and feasibility (i.e. in budgetary terms and fieldwork organisation terms).
The protocole is individual, uploaded on moodle before the 20/12/19 (see essay folder) and presented during the oral examination in january in 10 minutes (5 slides). Each student must present his/her protocole ideas during the lecture devoted to “essay discussion”.
The course will be evaluated at the last session.

Bibliography

Aday LA, Cornelius LJ. Designing and conducting health surveys: a comprehensive guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006

Teaching materials

• Aday LA, Cornelius LJ. Designing and conducting health surveys: a comprehensive guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006
• Aday LA, Cornelius LJ. Designing and conducting health surveys: a comprehensive guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006
• Aday LA, Cornelius LJ. Designing and conducting health surveys: a comprehensive guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006

Faculty or entity

FSP