In an interagency project between the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), under the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Census Bureau, the Census Bureau’s Center for Behavioral Science Methods (CBSM) conducted focus group and survey research of Field Representatives’ (FR) feedback on the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Biomeasures pilot project. The Biomeasures pilot project is a new follow-up study in which a sample of NHIS adult respondents were asked to participate in a project to collect additional health information that included physical measurements (such as height and weight) and the collection of blood and urine for testing. The primary purpose of the focus group and survey research was to collect feedback from Field Representatives who participated in the NHIS Biomeasures pilot project to identify strategies that may help increase participation. CBSM conducted five focus groups with 35 Field Representatives, followed by an online survey of 71 Field Representatives.
Results showed that the Biomeaures participation request to NHIS respondents was easy to learn and administer, and that the training and Biomeasures brochure were helpful learning tools for both the FRs and respondents, respectively. However, respondents expressed that the Biomeasures study was very invasive on the body and time consuming. Further, while the incentive was helpful for many respondents, it was not effective in motivating reluctant respondents and respondents from high income households to participate. To improve the Biomeasures project, CBSM recommends that NCHS investigate several strategies, including a raise in the incentive, a notification and education of the respondent about the Biomeasures study earlier in the interview or before the FR’s visit, and the provision of alternate forms of participation to respondents. The results of this research will help inform future iterations of the Biomeasures project.