Modeling response rates in surveys of female sexual difficulty and dysfunction

INTRODUCTION: Studies that address sensitive topics, such as female sexual difficulty and dysfunction, often achieve poor response rates that can bias  results. Factors that affect response rates to studies in this area are not well characterized.
AIM: To model the response rate in studies investigating the prevalence of female sexual difficulty and dysfunction.
METHODS: Databases were searched for English-language, prevalence studies using the search terms: sexual difficulties/dysfunction, woman/women/female, prevalence, and cross-sectional. Studies that did not report response rates or were clinic-based were excluded. A multiple linear regression model was constructed.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Published response rates.
RESULTS: A total of 1,380 publications were identified, and 54 of these met our inclusion criteria. Our model explained 58% of the variance in response rates of studies investigating the prevalence of difficulty with desire, arousal, orgasm, or sexual pain (R(2) = 0.581, P = 0.027). This model was based on study design variables, study year, location, and the reported prevalence of each type of sexual difficulty. More recent studies (beta = -1.05, P = 0.037) and studies that only included women over 50 years of age (beta = -31.11, P = 0.007) had lower response rates. The use of face-to-face interviews was associated with a higher response rate (beta = 20.51, P = 0.036). Studies that did not include questions regarding desire difficulties achieved higher response rates than those that did include questions on desire difficulty (beta = 23.70, P = 0.034).
CONCLUSION: Response rates in prevalence studies addressing female sexual difficulty and dysfunction are frequently low and have decreased by an average of just over 1% per anum since the late 60s. Participation may improve by conducting interviews in person. Studies that investigate a broad range of ages may be less representative of older women, due to a poorer response in older age groups. Lower response rates in studies that investigate desire difficulty suggest that sexual desire is a particularly sensitive topic.

Taxpayer beliefs and views : two new surveys

The importance of behavioural economics in supplementing and extending the neoclassical analysis of taxpayer behaviour has been recognised for some time. This paper summarises contributions to date and outlines a way forward for integrating the behavioural and neoclassical approaches and developing a more coherent strategy of encouraging taxpayer compliance.The paper then provides significant further evidence relating to taxpayer behaviour by reporting some of the main results of two substantial surveys (N =2,040 and 2,374) of Australian citizens' beliefs, attitudes, values and motivations with respect to the tax system, widely defined. It is concluded that the behaviour of Australian taxpayers is not determined only by considerations of narrow economic rationality based on the expected financial costs and benefits of compliance or non-compliance but is also influenced by a much wider range of factors. Examination of the importance of these other factors might be the most fruitful way of improving tax compliance in the future.

Should capillary blood glucose measurements be used in population surveys?

Objective
To determine the accuracy and appropriateness of capillary blood glucose testing in population surveys.
Materials and methods
Capillary blood glucose using the Rochec ACCU-CHEK instrument and Advantage 11 Test Strips was compared to a laboratory instrument. Three independent cross-sectional risk factor surveys (n=1432) and baseline individuals from the Greater Green Triangle Diabetes Prevention Project (n=341) provided both fasting plasma and capillary blood glucose measurements. Accuracy of capillary glucoses was assessed using the ISO 15197 standard. The median age of the participants was 71years, ranging from 25 to 84years. There were 799 males and 974 females.
Results
Capillary glucose method had poorer precision at lower concentrations (CV: 9.50%, mean=3.09mmol/L, CV: 4.90%, mean=16.78mmol/L, n=233 replicates). Individual discrepancies were seen across the measuring range (2.8–19.9mmol/L, n=1773). In total, 94.5% of results fell within the minimum acceptable accuracy standards. This was slightly short of the 95% of results required to meet the ISO 15197 standard. The prevalence of diabetes in the study population using glucose 7.0mmol/L was 2.4% (95%CI 1.8–3.3%) according to fasting plasma glucose and 2.8% (2.1–3.8%) according to fasting capillary glucose. The lower WHO-defined cut-off of 6.1mmol/L for capillary blood glucose testing gave a prevalence of 10.7% (9.0–12.5%).
Conclusions
This study of matched capillary and plasma glucose results concludes that while it is appropriate to use fasting capillary glucose levels to determine the prevalence of diabetes in populations, it should not be used to reliably diagnose diabetes in individuals.

Review of prevalence data in, and evaluation of methods for cross cultural adaptation of, UK surveys on tobacco and alcohol in ethnic minority groups

Objective To assess the adequacy of cross cultural adaptations of survey questions on self reported tobacco and alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom.

Design Assessment of consistency of data between studies identified through literature review. Studies evaluated with 12 guidelines developed from the research literature on achieving cross cultural comparability.

Results The literature review identified 18 key studies, five of them on national samples. Survey instruments were obtained for 15 of these. The comparison of prevalence data in national surveys showed some important discrepancies, greater for tobacco than for alcohol. For example, prevalence of cigarette smoking in Bangladeshi women was 6% in a national survey in 1994 and 1% in a national survey in 1999; in Chinese men it was 31% in a survey in 1993-4 and 17% in one in 1999; in African-Caribbean men it was 29% in a 1992 survey and 42% in one in 1993-4. The most guidelines met by any study was three, although one study partly met a fourth. Two studies met no guidelines. Only four studies consulted with ethnic minority communities in developing the questionnaire, none checked each language version with all others, and two stated the questionnaire had not been validated.

Conclusions Surveys have not followed best practice in relation to measurement of risk factors in cross cultural settings. There is inconsistency in the prevalence data on smoking provided by different major national UK studies. Users of such data should be aware of their limitations. Research is needed to help achieve linguistic equivalence of survey questions in cross cultural research.

Chronic disease risk factors in rural Australia : results from the Greater Green Triangle risk factor surveys

The aim of this article was to assess the level and prevalence of major chronic disease risk factors among rural adults. Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 2004 and 2005 in the southeast of South Australia and the southwest of Victoria. Altogether 891 randomly selected persons aged 25 to 74 years participated in the studies. Surveys included a self-administered questionnaire, physical measurements, and a venous blood specimen for lipid analyses. Two thirds of participants had cholesterol levels ≥5.0 mmol/L. The prevalence of high diastolic blood pressure (≥90 mm Hg) was 22% for men and 10% for women in southeast of South Australia, and less than 10% for both sexes in southwest of Victoria. Two thirds of participants were overweight or obese (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2). About 15% of men and slightly less women were daily smokers. The abnormal risk factor levels underline the need for targeted prevention activities in the Greater Green Triangle region. Continuing surveillance of levels and patterns of risk factors is fundamentally important for planning and evaluating preventive activities.

Trends in food intake in French children from 1999 to 2007 : results from the INCA (étude Individuelle Nationale des Consommations Alimentaires) dietary surveys

The objectives of the present study were to assess the intake of different food groups in French children aged 3–17 years (n 1455), and to analyse trends since a dietary survey undertaken 8 years ago. Dietary intake was evaluated using data from the 2006–7 cross-sectional INCA2 national dietary survey (étude Individuelle Nationale sur les Consommations Alimentaires), based on a 7 d food record. Dietary intake (percentage of subjects consuming the food group and amount eaten) was assessed for thirty-nine food categories. We observed variations in food consumption by age, sex, North–South regional gradient, seasonal period and educational level of the responding parent. Trends in dietary intake between 1999 and 2007 were determined by comparing the INCA1 (n 1126) and the INCA2 surveys. Both surveys had been carried out using the same methodology. The findings showed a decrease in energy intake in children aged 3–14 years, due to a reduction in the consumption of foods of animal origin and sweetened products. In adolescents aged 15–17 years, energy intake remained rather stable; during this 8-year period, the consumption of meat decreased, whereas the consumption of savoury snacks such as sandwiches and hamburgers significantly increased. These trends occurred during a time of growing concern about overweight and the associated co-morbidities in France. A number of public health measures were implemented over this period to improve dietary habits and physical activity patterns in children and adults. The periodic monitoring of dietary patterns through the INCA surveys is an essential part of the surveillance network in France.

Trends in food and nutritional intakes of French adults from 1999 to 2007 : results from the INCA surveys

Two independent cross-sectional dietary surveys (the Individual and National Food Consumption Surveys, INCA), performed in 1998–99 (INCA1) and in 2006–07 (INCA2) on nationally representative samples of French people, were used to analyse trends in the dietary habits and nutritional intake of French adults. Food consumption was recorded through 7-d dietary records, and nutritional intakes were assessed using the French food composition database. After exclusion of under-reporters, analyses were performed on 3267 adults, aged 18–79 years: 1345 from INCA1 and 1922 from INCA2. The trends highlighted over the 8-year period showed a decrease in consumption of dairy products, meat, bread, potatoes, pastries/croissant-like pastries/cakes/biscuits and sugar/confectionery. In contrast, the consumption of fruits and vegetables, rice, ice cream and chocolate increased. Other food groups, like fish and snacking foods, remained stable. Food choices were mostly age specific. These age differences remained consistent over the years and underlined two opposite dietary trends: a ‘traditional’ one mainly followed by the elderly, and a ‘snacking and convenience’ one mainly adopted by young adults. The overall trends in food consumption did not influence the mean energy intake, but did slightly modify the contribution of each macronutrient to energy intake. These repeated surveys highlighted the fact that trends in French food habits have moved towards an average European diet at the crossroads between Mediterranean and Northern diets, and that food consumption changes impacted, to a lesser extent, nutritional intake.

Maximising trapping efficiency in reptile surveys : the role of seasonality, weather conditions and moon phase on capture success

Context : Designing an appropriate survey protocol requires understanding of how capture rates of target species may be influenced by factors other than on-ground abundance, such as weather conditions or seasonality. This is particularly relevant for ectotherms such as reptiles, as activity can be affected by environmental conditions such as ambient temperature.
Aims : The present study examines factors affecting capture success of reptiles in semi-arid environments of southern Australia, and addresses the following two main questions: (1) what is the influence of weather and seasonal factors on capture rates of reptiles, and (2) what are the implications for developing an effective protocol for reptile surveys?
Methods : We surveyed reptiles using pitfall traps in spring and summer of 2006/07 and 2007/08 at sites (n = 280) throughout the Murray Mallee region of south-eastern Australia. We used mixed-effect regression models to investigate the influence of seasonal and weather-related variables on species’ capture success.
Key results : Total captures of reptiles, and the likelihood of capture of 15 reptile species, increased with rising daily temperature. Greater numbers of individual species were captured during spring than in summer, even though temperatures were cooler. This probably reflects greater levels of activity associated with breeding. Several species were more likely to be captured when maximum or minimum daily temperatures exceeded a certain level (e.g. Lerista labialis, Delma australis, Nephrurus levis). Other factors, such as rainfall and moon phase, also influenced capture success of some species.
Conclusions : Surveys for reptiles in semi-arid environments are likely to capture the greatest diversity of species on warm days in late spring months, although surveys on hot days in summer will enhance detection of particular species (e.g. Morethia boulengeri, Varanus gouldii). We recommend trapping during periods with maximum temperatures exceeding 25–30C and minimum overnight temperatures of 15C. Finally, trapping during rainfall and full-moon events will maximise chances of encountering species sensitive to these variables (blind snakes and geckoes).
Implications : Selecting the most favourable seasonal and weather conditions will help ensure that reptile surveys maximise the likelihood of capturing the greatest diversity of reptiles, while minimising trap-effort required.

Color, champagne, and trademark secondary meaning surveys : devilish detail

This article first outlines the requirements for trademarking color and describes the VEUVE CLICQUOT brand. It then describes possible designs for testing whether the color orange serves as a trademark. For each element of the survey, the design dilemmas that must be resolved prior to implementation are described, and specific solutions to these design dilemmas are suggested. As a final contribution, the article looks at arguments that may be raised against the design elements and suggests ways that these arguments may be anticipated and minimized by using a specific design logic. In this way, this article will help expert researchers produce specific, defensible designs that will be of use to courts and tribunals.