La distorsione da non risposta nelle indagini postali sulla prevalenza del fumo.

Starting date
January 1, 2006
Duration (months)
24
Managers or local contacts
Verlato Giuseppe

In epidemiological surveys smokers are usually late responders [Seltzer et al, 1974; Bakke et al, 1990; de Marco et al, 1994; Korkeila et al, 2001; Kotaniemi et al, 2001], and this self-selection process can be very large: current smokers were 34% in early responders versus 50.3% in late responders in a Finnish study [Kotaniemi et al, 2001], and 32.5% versus 42.8% in an Italian study [de Marco et al, 1994]. This behavior can markedly bias estimates of smoking prevalence when response percentage is low. On the other hand, less attention has been paid to ex-smokers’ behavior.
The present investigation aimed at describing promptness to respond to postal surveys among ex-smokers.The relation between smoking status (never smoker, ex-smoker and current smoker) and promptness to respond (response to either the first or second postal contact, or to the final phone contact) will be investigated by a chi-squared test. Multivariable analysis will be accomplished by a logistic regression model [Hosmer and Lemeshow, 1990], considering contact order as the response variable (0=response to the either the first of second postal contact, 1= response to the final phone contact) and smoking status (never smoker, ex-smoker and current smoker) as the explanatory variable. Also centre, sex, age (20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-45 years), occupation (clerk, manager/businessman, unemployed/other job, workman, student, housewife), pollution annoyance score (0, 1-3, 4-6, 7-10) and season of response will be introduced in the model as potential confounders.

Sponsors:

Ateneo
Funds: assigned and managed by the department
Syllabus: RICATENEO - Finanziamenti d'Ateneo per la Ricerca Scientifica

Project participants

Giuseppe Verlato
Full Professor

Activities

Research facilities

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