Health survey methods (UCL)

The course is limited to students having a good level of English. Introductory courses in epidemiology and biostatics are required

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.

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 testable 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.

La contribution de cette UE au développement et à la maîtrise des compétences et acquis du (des) programme(s) est accessible à la fin de cette fiche, dans la partie « Programmes/formations proposant cette unité d’enseignement (UE) ».

The students will be evaluated based on the development of a health survey protocol (50% of the final grade) and a written exam (50% of the final grade). The student can choose to do the protocol and the exam 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. 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 iCampus 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).

For this protocol, the students can (but are not obliged to) work in groups.

This course is organized in 7 sessions. Every session starts with a theoretical and practical introduction of the relevant topics, followed by an interactive discussion and applied exercises with students. An active involvement of all students is thus necessary. The sessions are as follows:

1. Survey protocol                
2. Instruments and validation           
3. Development of questionnaires
4. Survey sampling               
5. Data collection                                
6. Web based surveys                        
7. Data management/Communication of survey results

Hand outs of the lectures provided by the tutors,  as well as papers and references mentioned in the hand outs. Also, the book of L. Aday and L. Cornelius is an important (optional) reference textbook:

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