Survey research in New Mexico Hispanics: some methodological issues.

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Respiratory disease patterns vary between ethnic groups.
• Accurate epidemiological data requires addressing demographic and cultural factors.
• Previous studies lacked detailed methodological insights into diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a prevalence survey of respiratory diseases in Albuquerque.
• To explain differing respiratory disease epidemiology patterns in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations.
• To address methodological challenges in surveying diverse populations, including response rates, language barriers, and ethnic identification.

Main Methods:

• Random sampling from the R.L. Polk & Co. Directory.
• Utilized mail, telephone, and personal interview approaches to maximize response rates.
• Compared surname-based ethnic identification methods (1980 Census List, GUESS program) against self-reported ethnicity.

Main Results:

• Response rates varied by ethnicity and gender, with Hispanic males showing lower engagement (60% response, 22% refusal).
• Telephone interviewing was more effective than mail for Hispanic respondents.
• The GUESS program offered higher sensitivity, while the Census list provided greater specificity for ethnic identification by surname; combined methods achieved 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity in males.

Conclusions:

• Methodological strategies are crucial for accurate epidemiological research in diverse populations.
• Ethnic identification using surnames requires careful consideration of sensitivity, specificity, and potential biases.
• Future research should refine methods to account for intermarriage effects on ethnic identification accuracy.