New initiatives in data collection for the Canadian Community Health Survey - ARCHIVED

The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) was redesigned in 2007 so that it could use the continuous data collection method. Since then, a new sample has been selected every two months, and the data have also been collected over a two-month period. The survey uses two collection techniques: computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for the sample drawn from an area frame, and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) for the sample selected from a telephone list frame. Statistics Canada has recently implemented some data collection initiatives to reduce the response burden and survey costs while maintaining or improving data quality. The new measures include the use of a call management tool in the CATI system and a limit on the number of calls. They help manage telephone calls and limit the number of attempts made to contact a respondent. In addition, with the paradata that became available very recently, reports are now being generated to assist in evaluating and monitoring collection procedures and efficiency in real time. The CCHS has also been selected to implement further collection initiatives in the future. This paper provides a brief description of the survey, explains the advantages of continuous collection and outlines the impact that the new initiatives have had on the survey.