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Online Program

326503
Factors associated with frequency of responding to electronic surveys among students attending a large minority-serving university: The Student Behavioral Health Survey (SBHS-Web)


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Meredith Wilcox, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Florida International University Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, FL
William W. Darrow, PhD, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background:  In 2013, an online behavioral health survey (SBHS-Web) with an embedded two-factor experimental design to increase response was offered to students attending a large, minority-serving university.  Response within the most comprehensive treatment group was triple that of the 2012 National College Health Assessment II offered online to students at the same university (14% vs. 5%).  This study identified factors associated with history of responding to electronic surveys among respondents of the 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:

Epidemiology
Public 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

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

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.

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