B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods – NAHMS and NVSL Customer/Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey
Describe the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used.
The potential respondent universe for individuals receiving NAHMS customer/stakeholder satisfaction surveys is all:
NAHMS study participants (producers).
Recipients of NAHMS publications.
NAHMS web site users.
No sampling will be performed for NAHMS customer/stakeholder satisfaction surveys. Based on previous surveys, the estimated response rate for the customer/stakeholder satisfaction surveys is 30 percent (sample attached). The response rate for recipients of the NAHMS publications and web site users is anticipated to be considerably less than the study participant survey. The estimated response rate for these surveys is 10 percent.
The NVSL satisfaction surveys will be distributed to randomly selected laboratory customers. Based on previous NVSL satisfaction surveys, the estimated response rate for the NVSL surveys is 30 percent.
By nature, these studies only capture feedback from people that really want to tell APHIS what they think. The 30 percent that reply provide valuable insights into either the value of the NAHMS product that they read or the need for a particular topic to be explored in a future NAHMS study. While it may look like a low response rate, it is a valuable avenue to obtain feedback.
Sampling methodology—All producers who participate in NAHMS Veterinary Medical Officer phase of the studies will be offered the opportunity to provide feedback. Upon the completion of the NAHMS study, each participant will be provided with a questionnaire and business reply envelope for feedback on the value of the survey. NAHMS study participants will have two months to respond after the last visit.
All individuals who receive and utilize the NAHMS descriptive and interpretive reports will be offered the opportunity to provide feedback. Each NAHMS descriptive and interpretive publication will carry a web address where the reader can provide feedback on the utility of the report through an electronic survey. The first publication for each study will include a questionnaire and business reply envelope for the participant to provide feedback on the value of the report. All individuals who utilize reports will have up to two months after the date of publication to provide feedback.
Every month 50 visitors to the NAHMS web site will be randomly selected to provide feedback on the utility of the NAHMS web site and reports. A pop-up window will appear on the screen of users that are selected for participation inviting them to complete a brief web survey.
The NVSL feedback will be solicited randomly from test requests each year. Feedback will be solicited by use of an internet survey, mail, or fax.
Respondent data will be summarized and no inferences will be made to a larger population.
All producers who participate in the NAHMS Veterinary Medical Officer portion of the studies will be eligible to provide feedback. All recipients of the NAHMS study reports will be eligible to participate. Fifty web users per month will be eligible to complete a web survey.
Each quarter the NVSL will send out up to 1250 surveys with reports generated from laboratory accessions during that quarter. Surveys will be distributed (electronically, by fax, or by mail), or by making available a link for a survey on the internet for a predetermined length of time.
There are no unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures.
Data will be collected up to 2 months after the date of the last visit for the NAHMS study participant surveys. Data will be collected up to two months from the date of publication for the reports surveys. Web data will be collected at the time that the visitor is accessing NAHMS’ web page.
Laboratory feedback data will be collected periodically over the calendar year.
Surveys will be pretested to ensure accurate information is collected.
Anonymous data collection is ensured by not collecting a farm number or associated farm ID, only state location is requested.
Customer/stakeholder satisfaction surveys will be provided to all participants of NAHMS studies at the last visit, or mailed shortly thereafter, along with a cover letter and business reply envelope.
Participants in the NAHMS studies will have two months to respond after the last visit.
Survey results will be summarized in an excel spreadsheet and will be available four months after the date of the last visit.
Study Design for recipients of NAHMS Study Reports
Surveys will be pretested to ensure accurate information is collected.
Recipients of the first descriptive report per study will receive a hard copy of the survey along with a business reply envelope.
Web links to electronic surveys will be placed in all reports.
Recipients will have two months from the publication date to respond.
Commercially available collection and summarization software will be used to collect information via the internet.
Web surveys will be administered randomly to NAHMS’ web users, information will be collected at the time of the visit.
Results will be reported in an information sheet for internal use and not published.
Study Design for NVSL Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Surveys will be pretested to ensure accurate information is collected.
Laboratory responses will not reference any customer associated referral numbers, submitter identification, or accession numbers.
Laboratory feedback requests will be distributed by mail, fax, or internet survey with an explanation about the survey.
Laboratory participants may respond throughout the calendar year.
APHIS-designated data collector, typically a Veterinary Medical Officer, will provide surveys, a cover letter to explain the importance of their input and to encourage participation, and a business reply envelope at the last visit of the NAHMS study.
The descriptive and interpretive publications will carry a web link directed to an electronic survey.
Selected web users will receive a pop up window in their browser inviting them to participate.
Laboratory personnel will distribute the laboratory feedback request with a description of importance and use of the feedback.
Non-response follow up will not be possible for any of these components.
For the NAHMS study participant surveys, the window of opportunity for responding will be two months after the date of the last possible visit, to ensure timely feedback.
For the publications surveys, the window of opportunity for recipients will be two months from the report date to ensure timely feedback.
For web surveys, the window of opportunity for recipients will be at the time of their visit to the NAHMS web site.
The NAHMS publications data collection instrument/web based will be generic and used to assess each descriptive and interpretative report produced by NAHMS. The respondent will be required to identify the specific report for which the feedback applies.
Commercially available collection and summarization software will be used to collect information via the internet.
Respondents for the NVSL laboratory survey will have until the end of the calendar year in which the survey was distributed to respond.
Inferences covering non-respondents will not be made.
No inferences will be made to a larger population.
An Excel spreadsheet will be used to summarize the data.
Survey results will be available four months after date of last possible visit, for the NAHMS study participant survey. Results of the publications survey will be documented four months after NAHMS study reports are published. And for the laboratory component, survey results will be available three months after the end of the calendar year in which the survey was distributed.
Results of all the surveys will be reported in an information sheet format for internal use and will not be published.
The proposed customer/stakeholder satisfaction surveys will be pretested, involving fewer than 10 respondents, during the initial questionnaire design phase. Surveys change very little from one study to the next. Results of these initial pretests will be used to refine the information collection to reduce respondent burden and improve the usefulness of the information received. To reduce the burden upon customers, the NVSL methods (mail, fax, internet) used to collect data will be evaluated annually and an alternative method or combination of methods may be used in subsequent years if response rates continue to be stable after the switch.
The statistical aspects of the NAHMS study design were coordinated by Mr. George Hill, Statistician, USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, CEAH, Fort Collins, CO,
(970) 494-7250. Contact persons for data collection are:
- Dr. John Clifford, Deputy Administrator, USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, Washington, DC, (202) 447-6835.
Analysis of the NAHMS data will be accomplished by statistical assistants and veterinary assistants under the direction of:
- Dr. Bruce Wagner, Center Director, National Animal Health Monitoring System, USDA, APHIS, VS, CEAH, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B MS2E7, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117, (970) 494-7256.
The statistical aspects of the NVSL study design were coordinated by Ms. Tina Buffington, USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, NVSL, Ames, IA, (515) 663-7739. Contact persons for data collection are:
- Dr. John Clifford, Deputy Administrator, USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, Washington, DC, (202) 447-6835.
Analysis of the NVSL data will be accomplished by statistical assistants and veterinary assistants under the direction of:
- Ms. Tina Buffington, Quality Assurance Coordinator, USDA, APHIS, VS, NVSL, 1920 Dayton Ave, Ames, IA 50010, (515) 337-7739.
The Agency also had this collection reviewed by NASS for evaluation of the statistical methods used.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | cbsickles |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-31 |