Collecting food-related data from low socioeconomic groups: how adequate are our current research designs?
Australian researchers examining the relationship between socioeconomic status and food-related behaviour have often selected their samples from the electoral roll and then collected their data using a mail-survey method. These studies have generally found statistically significant associations between socioeconomic status and behaviour, although these relationships are usually only weak-to-moderate in strength. Given the consistent and strong pattern of association between socioeconomic status and mortality, and diet and mortality, there is a possibility that these studies may have used a research design that underestimates the magnitude of the association. To assess this possibility, results obtained using an electoral-roll sample and mail-survey method were compared with findings obtained by administering the same questionnaire directly to a sample of indigent clients contacted through a welfare agency. The comparison suggests that studies that draw their samples from electoral rolls and then collect data using a mail-survey questionnaire may greatly understate the level of socioeconomic inequality in food-related behaviour in the wider community.
Turrell
G
G
Department of Anthropology and Sociology, University of Queensland, Brisbane.
Najman
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D015983:Selection Bias; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards