Transitioning an In-Person Survey of Older Adults to Multimode Data Collection

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Survey Methodology

Background:

• The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) traditionally conducted in-person data collection.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift towards remote data collection methods for ongoing research.
• NSHAP aimed to bridge its in-person data collection history with a future incorporating multimode approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of remote data collection for the NSHAP study.
• To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on NSHAP respondents.
• To strengthen NSHAP's capability for collecting complex questionnaire and biomeasure data remotely.

Main Methods:

• A multimode survey (COVID-19 Study) was conducted with NSHAP respondents.
• In-person questionnaires were adapted for phone and web administration.
• A "BioBox" kit was developed and tested for remote self-collection of biomeasures.

Main Results:

• NSHAP respondents participated in remote questionnaire and biomeasure collection.
• The multimode approach proved feasible for collecting data from older adults.
• Pretests successfully evaluated remote data collection capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The experiences gained will inform future NSHAP data collection rounds.
• Findings can guide other panel studies of older adults in adopting multimode data collection.
• Successful remote data collection enhances the adaptability of longitudinal aging studies.