Cognitive Testing of a Spanish Translation of Part of the CPS-FSS

M EMORANDUM

P.O. Box 2393

Princeton, NJ 08543-2393

Telephone (609) 799-3535

Fax (609) 799-0005

www.mathematica-mpr.com

TO: Mark Nord

FROM: Rhoda Cohen and Raquel af Ursin DATE: 4/30/2013

ERS - 07

SUBJECT: Cognitive Testing of a Translation of Part of the Current
Population Survey Food Security Supplement

A. OVERVIEW

In January 2013, the Economic Research Services (ERS) of the United States Department of Agriculture contracted with Mathematica to conduct Spanish Translation and Cognitive Testing of Part of the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. The contract included researching existing translations of questions, creating a generic translation, reviewing that translation with ERS, conducting cognitive interviews, documenting the process, and delivering a final translation.

B. TRANSLATION

Our approach to the translation of designated questions from the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement was a simplified version of the modified committee approach, also known as TRAPD (translation, review, adjudication, pretesting, and documentation). We included a review of existing translations and a review by ERS before the cognitive testing (pretesting). Our translators are native speakers of the target language (Spanish) and the quality assurance process involved reviewers with roots in Cuba and Puerto Rico with extensive experience in survey development and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The first step in the translation process was the research and review of existing translations of questions on this topic (some provided by ERS and others found in Mathematica’s electronic library of questionnaires and translations) to ensure the use of terminology that had been validated through previous use. We annotated sources, made changes to existing questions to match the new document, and created a generic translation of the remaining questions.

A certified translator reviewed the complete translated document, including a discussion of wording and dialectical variation with the first translator. Mathematica staff representing speakers of Puerto Rican and Cuban Spanish conducted two additional reviews and discussed their suggestions at adjudication to determine preferred wording choices for the target audience. The adjudicator is the project director, who is familiar with the intent and nuances of the questions.

At the end of February, Mathematica submitted the first draft of the translation to ERS for review. Shortly thereafter, Mathematica staff participated in a conference call with Mark Nord of ERS to discuss the translation. Although Mathematica staff looked for consistency in language and easily understood words while keeping the translation as close to the English intent as possible, key changes were made after the conference call to improve sentence clarity and consistency. We replaced hogar with casa throughout the questionnaire, and obtener was replaced by recibir in question SSC3. The call resulted in immediate approval of the draft after including changes discussed and the order to proceed with cognitive testing. On March 8, 2013, Mathematica submitted the revised version of the questionnaire.

C. COGNITIVE TESTING

Preparation for recruiting cognitive test respondents started immediately after the conference call. Mathematica developed a recruiting screener (Appendix A) and a pretest protocol (Appendix B) with questions SS9, SSP1, SSP2, and SSP2D modified to refer to the current time period. We targeted respondents with the following characteristics:

• Have children in the household

• School-age children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals

• Children younger than age 5 participate in a Head Start program

• Household is eligible for SNAP or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

We recruited respondents for the cognitive test via telephone in Spanish. We reached out to previously established contacts within the Hispanic community and to the Cuban community through community organizations within driving distance. The Cuban group was the hardest to recruit due to their economic success. Therefore, we made an executive decision to bypass the low-income eligibility requirement and we were able to recruit two Cuban families from Georgia and New Jersey to participate in the cognitive test.

Cognitive testing took place from the end of March through the first week of April. Respondents included two participants from Central America, two from Cuba, two from Mexico, and three from Puerto Rico. We conducted testing in person whenever possible and over the telephone when distance was an impediment or the respondent requested it. A certified bilingual interviewer administered the cognitive test in Spanish and audio recorded it with the permission of the respondents.

After introducing the study, we trained the respondents in the think-aloud process to enable them to respond to the questions and then walk us through their thought process to arrive at their responses. Occasionally, we asked the respondents to explain what certain words meant to them. We also asked them to name stores where they shopped and classify other places where they could purchase food.

Each respondent received a thank you letter in Spanish (Appendix C) and a Target gift card as an incentive. We mailed the incentives to those completing the cognitive interview on the telephone. Table 1 shows the respondents’ demographic characteristics.

Table 1. Demographics of Cognitive Test Respondents

Origin	Gender	Number of Children Living in Household	Number of People Older than 60	Interview Mode	Education	Years in U.S.	Age Range	Receive WIC	Receive F/RP School Meals	Eligible for SNAP/ Food Stamps
Central America	Male	2	0	In person	9th	21	40–49	n.a.	Yes	Yes
Central America	Female	5	0	In person	8th	12	30–39	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cuba	Male	2	0	Telephone	MBA	> 40	50–59	n.a.	No	No
Cuba	Female	1	0	Telephone	MBA	> 40	50–59	n.a.	No	No
Mexico	Female	1	0	In person	HS grad	5	19–29	No	Yes	Yes
Mexico	Female	1	0	Telephone	6th	12	19–29	No	No	Yes
Puerto Rico	Female	3	0	Telephone	BA	25	40–49	n.a	Yes	Yes
Puerto Rico	Female	2	0	In person	HS grad	33	30–39	No	No	Yes
Puerto Rico	Female	1	0	Telephone	AA	44	40–49	n.a.	Yes	Yes

AA = Associate of Arts; F/RP = free or reduced-price meals; HS = high school; MBA = Master of Business Administration; n.a. = not applicable.

D. FINDINGS

We took special interest in the use of certain Spanish words, such as bodega, pasó, cupones de alimentos, comidas de emergencia, and quedar escaso de dinero. We tried to find out what these terms meant to our respondents, in what types of stores people bought food, what they understood when hearing these questions, and how confident they were about their answers. In general, respondents considered the questions easy or not difficult. Respondents universally understood the terms cupones de alimentos, quedar escaso de dinero, and comidas de emergencia to have the same meanings in Spanish and English. The question that included the translation of senior center to centro de actividades para personas mayores was not tested as part of the survey due to the demographic composition of our sample, but when asked, all respondents easily understood the concept of senior center. Appendix D includes the final version of the translation with the modification resulting from the cognitive test. An unexpected finding was that these respondents often do not consider snacks to be food. The understanding of the word comida (food) to exclude snacks or fast food was apparent when they answered SSLEAD, SS1C, SS2, SS6, and other questions that included (among other things) the purchase of food at vending machines. Comida was understood to mean something nutritious, healthy, that is needed to survive (“like rice, milk, and beans”), and requires some preparation. The concept of a snack purchased at a convenience store, at the movies, or at a sports event is different from food because it is usually not nutritious or healthy, not needed, and therefore is not included in the recollection of foods purchased. Only when we asked the respondents specifically about these situations were these purchases included in the responses. Table 2 includes respondents’ understanding of terms identified as questionable by the translation team before or during our conference call with Mark Nord of ERS. The table also includes our recommendation for each questionable term.

Table 2. Selected Findings and Recommendations

Question Number	Term Tested	Cuban Respondents	Central American Respondents	Mexican Respondents	Puerto Rican Respondents	Recommendation and Interviewer Notes
SS1A	Bodega	Understood Hangar-like space with merchandise sold in big packets and little effort put into customer service or marketing/Caribbean for mom-&-pop store	Understood Small place, Caribbean word for small supermarket	Understood Wholesale type, better price than supermarket	Understood The corner store, Hispanic market, or where one buys food and other items at wholesale prices: Sam’s Club or Costco	No action needed
SS1B	Otros lugares	Understood	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed Tested for dollar store/ pharmacy, but neither appear to be places people consider when thinking of buying food
SSLEAD	Monto exacto	Understood, respondents suggest el monto más cercano posible/ lo que gasta normalmente	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed
SSLEAD	Inusual	Understood	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed
SS9	Quedar escaso de dinero	Understood	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed
SSP2	Cupones de alimentos	Understood	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed
SSC2	Centro de actividades para personas mayores	Understood	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed
SSC3	Comidas de emergencia	Understood	Understood	Understood	Understood	No action needed
SSCF3 SSCF4	¿Con qué frecuencia pasó esto?	Understood; sucedió is better, pasó might be associated with death	Understood Sucedió is a better word	Understood	Understood Sucedió is a better word	Change pasó in questions to sucedió for clarity and consistency with existing text

E. CONCLUSION

The cognitive test was successfully completed during the last week of March and the first week of April with nine respondents from all proposed regions or countries of origin. It was not possible to recruit low-income Cuban respondents, but we tested the translated language with two members of the Cuban community. Overall, all of the respondents easily understood the questions and none found them difficult to answer. Our finding regarding snacks or things people eat at sporting events or at the movies not being considered food raised the question of whether comestible (also used in question SS3A) would be a more encompassing word for all things we eat. After examining the results of the interviews, we recommend the following action based on the results presented in Table 2 and our findings:

• Replace the word pasó with sucedió so that the translated questions match the existing survey

• Replace the word comida with comestible in instances in which the question refers to any consumable purchase made by household members

Appendix D contains the final translation that includes the recommended changes.

Appendix a
Screener FORM

Cognitive Testing of a Translation of Part of the Current
Population Survey Food Security Supplement

Screener Form

Respondent Information

Name: ____________________________________

Address: ____________________________________

____________________________________

Phone (Home) _________________________________

Cognitive Test Information

Day/Date: _____________________________________

Time: _____________________________________

Location: _____________________________________

Confirmation Call Completed □ Date: ___________

A1. Today, I just want to confirm your participation in the cognitive pretest. I’d like to set up an appointment for [DATE/TIME] am/pm at [PLACE]. You will receive a $40 Target gift card for helping us with this study.

A2. Can I count on your being there?

□ YES  CONTINUE WITH QUESTION B1

□ NO  TERMINATE

B1. Now, I just have a few short questions for you to help me prepare for our meeting.

Including yourself, how many people live in your household? Don’t forget to include non‑relatives who live here and, of course, babies, small children and foster children. Also include people who usually live here but may have been away within the last 30 days for reasons such as: vacation, traveling for work, or in the hospital. Do not include children living away at school.

_________ Number of people [RANGE 1-20]

DON’T KNOW 88

REFUSED 99

B2. How many of those (FILL NUMBER FROM B1) people are children age 18 or younger or over 18 but still in high school?

_________ Number of children [RANGE 1-20]

NO CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 00 SCREEN-OUT: NO

CHILDREN IN HH

B3a. What is the first name or initials of your youngest child?

NAME: ___________________________

B3ay. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3b. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

NO OTHER CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 0GO TO B4

B3by. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3c. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

NO OTHER CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 0GO TO B4

B3cy. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3d. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

NO OTHER CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 0GO TO B4

B3dy. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3e. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

B3ey. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3f. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

NO OTHER CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 0GO TO B4

B3fy. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3g. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

NO OTHER CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 0GO TO B4

B3gy. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B3h. What is the first name or initials of your next child?

NAME: ___________________________

NO OTHER CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD 0GO TO B4

B3hy. How old is (he/she)? _______________YEARS OLD

B4. What is your age bracket: (CIRCLE ONE) 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, or over 60?

B5. What is the highest grade or educational degree you completed? (specify)___________________

B6. Are there any females in the household who are between the ages of 15 and 45?

□ YES

□ NO

END. These are all my questions for today. I will send you a letter with all the information about our meeting and look forward to seeing you on [DAY/ DATE] and [TIME and PLACE]. If you need to reach me before your appointment call me at: [PHONE NUMBER].

INTERVIEWER, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:

YES NO

DOES HOUSEHOLD INCLUDE MORE THAN ONE PERSON

OVER THE AGE OF 18? □ □

DOES HOUSEHOLD INCLUDE ANY CHILDREN AGES 13-18? □ □

DOES HOUSEHOLD INCLUDE ANY CHILDREN AGES 6-12? □ □

DOES HOUSEHOLD INCLUDE ANY CHILDREN AGE 5? □ □

DOES HOUSEHOLD INCLUDE ANY CHILDREN AGE 0-4? □ □

DOES HOUSEHOLD INCLUDE ANY FEMALES

BETWEEN 15 AND 45? □ □

Appendix B
COGNITIVE Protocol

Mathematica policy research

CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY FOOD SECURITY SUPPLEMENT

SPANISH TRANSLATION AND COGNITIVE PROTOCOL

Rhoda Cohen

3/18/2013

Mi nombre es ___________ y estoy ayudando a diseñar un estudio acerca de la comida usada en las diferentes casas y la forma en que la gente satisface sus necesidades de comida. Espero me pueda ayudar permitiéndome que le haga las preguntas de la encuesta y obtenga su opinión sobre ellas.

A medida que vamos completando la encuesta, le pediré que piense sus respuestas en voz alta. Permítame darle un ejemplo de lo que quiere decir pensar en voz alta.

Alguien me podría preguntar: ¿Qué fue lo mejor de la ceremonia de los Oscars este año?

Pensando en voz alta yo diría: Bueno, esperaba que la película “Lincoln” ganara, y eso no pasó. El programa duro casi hasta media noche y yo estaba cansada al día siguiente, y eso no fue bueno. Sin embargo, los cantantes y actores pusieron lo mejor de sí y llevaban lindas ropas y eso fue bueno. Adele estuvo muy bien cuando cantó Skyfall, fue lo mejor. Tal vez el año que viene gane mi película favorita.

Ahora, una pregunta como práctica: ¿Cómo es el lugar donde vive?

Trate de visualizar el lugar donde vive, y pensar en cuántas ventanas hay. Al contar las ventanas, dígame lo que están viendo y pensando.

PROBE: ¿Vive en una casa de una planta, o el lugar donde vives tiene más de un piso? ¿Pensó en las ventanas? ¿Cuántas habitaciones hay en el lugar donde vives? ¿Pensó en todas las ventanas de cada habitación o estimó el número de ventanas?

¡Ahora usted tiene idea de cómo pensar en voz alta! ¡Comencemos!

[SLEAD¹ For one-person households] Este mes estamos haciendo algunas preguntas sobre la comida usada en su casa y lo que está haciendo para satisfacer sus necesidades de comida.

[SSLEAD For two or more person households] Este mes estamos haciendo algunas preguntas sobre la comida usada en su casa y lo que (está/están) haciendo para satisfacer sus necesidades de comida. ( /La mejor persona para contestar sería el adulto con mayor conocimiento acerca de las compras y preparación de comida. ¿Esa persona sería usted o alguna otra persona?

CUrrENT RESPONDENT IS MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE 1

SOMEONE ELSE IS MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE 2CHANGE RESPONDENT

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL

LEAD - Read intro

Is there anything you didn’t understand in what I just said?

When I said: “lo que está haciendo para satisfacer sus necesidades de comida”, what were you thinking?

Please ask me this question in your own words?

SS1A Las primeras preguntas son acerca de todos los lugares donde (compró/compraron) comida LA SEMANA PASADA. Cuando digo LA SEMANA PASADA, quiero decir de domingo a sábado.

Primero, ¿compró (usted/su casa) comida en un supermercado, bodega o tienda de comida LA SEMANA PASADA?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS1B Piense en otros lugares donde la gente compra comida, tal como carnicerías, verdulerías, panaderías, clubes mayoristas, y tiendas de conveniencia. ¿Compró (usted/su casa) comida de alguna de estas tiendas LA SEMANA PASADA?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS1A

When I said “supermercado, bodega o tienda de comida” what were the names of the stores you shopped in last week that you would describe as a supermercado, bodega o tienda de comida?

____________________________________ _____________________________________

____________________________________ _____________________________________

____________________________________ _____________________________________

What does “bodega” mean to you?

Do you shop at any bodegas?

Are there any large food stores that you wouldn’t describe as a supermercado, bodega o tienda de comida?

What kinds of stores are they?

SS1B

Do you shop each week at carnicerías, verdulerías, panaderías, clubes mayoristas, y tiendas de conveniencia?

Other than supermercado, bodega o tienda de comida, what other kinds of stores does your household shop at for groceries?

If you shopped for food at a dollar store or a pharmacy, which category would you use?

SS1C LA SEMANA PASADA, ¿compró (usted/su casa) comida en un restaurante, lugar de comida rápida, cafetería, o de una máquina expendedora? ( /Incluya a cualquier niño que pueda haber comprado comida en la cafetería de la escuela.)

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS1D ¿Compró (usted/su casa) comida de cualquier otro tipo de lugar LA SEMANA PASADA?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS1C

Please tell me what you were thinking about when you answered this question?

Did you include food you may have bought at the movie theater or at a sports event?

SS1D

Did you include purchase made by other people in your household including children age 10 or older?

What other kinds of places do you buy food?

SSLEAD Ahora le voy a preguntar sobre el monto EXACTO que gastó en comida LA SEMANA PASADA en todos los lugares donde compró comida. Después, como LA SEMANA PASADA puede haber sido inusual para usted, le preguntaré acerca del monto que gasta USUALMENTE.

SS2 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en supermercados bodega o tiendas de comida en LA SEMANA PASADA ( /incluyendo compras hechas con beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos)?

$ | | , | | | |.

NO PURCHASES LAST WEEK 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS3A De estos (fill with S2O), ¿qué cantidad fue para artículos no comestibles, tal como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, alcohol, detergentes, o productos de limpieza?

$ | | , | | | |.

NO NONFOOD PURCHASES LAST WEEK 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSLEAD

Can you ask this question to me in your own words?

When I say actually spend, what do you think about? What’s included and what isn’t included?

SS2

Please tell me what you were thinking about when you answered this question?

Did you include SNAP purchases?

How confident are you that the amount you gave me is correct? Would you say very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident or not confident at all?

SS3A

How difficult was it to figure out the answer to this question? How did you come up with this answer?

FOR FILL: Use amount recorded in SS2

SS4 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en tiendas como carnicerías, verdulerías, panaderías, clubes mayoristas, y tiendas de conveniencia LA SEMANA PASADA ( /incluyendo compras hechas con beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos)?

$ | | , | | | |.

NO PURCHASES LAST WEEK 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS5A De estos $(fill with S4O), ¿qué cantidad fue para artículos no comestibles, como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, alcohol, detergentes, o productos de limpieza?

$ | | , | | | |.

NO NONFOOD PURCHASES LAST WEEK 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS4

Please tell me what you were thinking about when you answered this question? What are the names of the stores you thought about?

How difficult was it to figure out the answer?

RECORD AMOUNT SPENT

SS5A

Normal administration

USE AMOUNT FROM SS4 FOR FILL

SS6 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en comida en restaurantes, lugares de comida rápida, cafeterías, o máquinas expendedoras LA SEMANA PASADA, sin incluir compras de bebidas alcohólicas?

$ | | , | | | |.

NO RESTAURANT, FAST FOOD, ETC PURCHASES LAST WEEK 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS7 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en comidas en cualquier otro tipo de lugar LA SEMANA PASADA?

$ | | , | | | |.

NO PURCHASES AT OTHER PLACES LAST WEEK 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS6

Please tell me what you were thinking about when you answered this question?

IF CHILDREN OVER THE AGE OF 10: Did you include anything purchased by your child/children at restaurants, fast food places, cafeterias, and vending machines?

How difficult was it to figure out the answer

How confident are you that the amount you gave me is correct? Would you say very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident or not confident at all?

SS7 Normal administration

SS8A

IF (SS1A AND SS1B AND SS1C AND SS1D= 0,d OR r) OR (SS2-SS3A=0 AND SS4-SS5A=0 AND SS6=0 AND SS7=0) THEN:

Veamos, parece que (usted/su casa) no compró ninguna comida LA SEMANA PASADA. Ahora, piense en cuánto gasta (usted/su casa) USUALMENTE. ¿Cuánto gasta (usted/su casa) USUALMENTE en comida en todos los lugares diferentes que hemos mencionado EN UNA SEMANA? (Por favor incluya cualquier compra hecha con su beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos). No incluya productos no comestibles tal como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, detergentes o productos de limpieza.

USUALLY SPENDS EACH WEEK:

$ | | , | | | |.

OR

$ | | , | | | | TO $ | | , | | | |

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

IF SS2-SS3A≠0 AND/OR SS4-SS5A≠0 AND/OR SS6≠0 AND/OR SS7≠0 THEN:

Veamos, (usted/su casa) gastó unos (fill with ((SS2-SS3A)+(SS4-SS5A)+SS6+SS7)) en comida LA SEMANA PASADA. Ahora, piense en cuánto gasta (usted/su casa) USUALMENTE. ¿Cuánto gasta (usted/su casa) USUALMENTE en comida en todos los lugares diferentes que hemos mencionado EN UNA SEMANA? (Por favor incluya cualquier compra hecha con su beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos). No incluya productos no comestibles tal como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, detergentes o productos de limpieza.

USUALLY SPENDS EACH WEEK:

$ | | , | | | |.

OR

$ | | , | | | | TO $ | | , | | | |

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS8A

Please tell me what you are thinking as you answer this question.

IF APPROPRIATE: Were you thinking only about what you spent or did you include what others in your household spent?

How confident are you that the amount you gave me is includes all kinds of stores, restaurants, fast food places, vending machines and other places your household could buy food? Would you say very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident or not confident at all?

IF SS8A IS > 450 THEN ASK SS8ZA, ELSE GO TO SS8B.

SS8ZA Si eso se debe a que usted hace compras de comida con poca frecuencia, ¿cuánto sería el promedio semanal durante varias semanas?

WEEKLY AVERAGE $ | | , | | | |.

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

II. MINIMUM SPENDING NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH FOOD

SS8B Para comprar suficiente comida sólo para satisfacer (sus necesidades/las necesidades de su casa) ¿tendría usted que gastar más de lo que gasta ahora o cree que podría gastar menos?

SPEND MORE 1

SPEND LESS 0GO TO SS8D

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS8C Aproximadamente, ¿cuánto MÁS tendría que gastar cada semana para poder comprar suficiente comida sólo para satisfacer las necesidades de su casa?

SPEND $ | | , | | | |. MORE EACH WEEK

DON’T KNOW d GO TO SS9

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS8ZA

Please tell me how you figured out your answer. Was it difficult for you to figure out the answer?

SS8B

Please tell me how you are answering this question by thinking out loud as you form your answer.

SS8C

How did you know that you would need to spend (FILL $ AMOUNT FROM SS8C) more each week?

SS8D Aproximadamente, ¿cuánto MENOS podría usted gastar cada semana y todavía comprar suficiente comida para satisfacer las necesidades de su casa?

SPEND $ | | , | | | |. LESS EACH WEEK

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS9 La gente hace cosas diferentes cuando se les está acabando el dinero para comida para hacer que la comida o el dinero para comida le rinda más.

En los últimos 12 meses, desde diciembre del año pasado, ¿se quedó alguna vez escaso de dinero y trató de hacer que su comida o el dinero para comida le rindiera más?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SSP1 En los últimos 12 meses, desde diciembre del año pasado, ¿recibió (usted/su casa) beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

YES 1

NO 0GO TO SSP6

DON’T KNOW dGO TO SSP6

REFUSED rGO TO SSP6

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SS8D

How did you know that you could spend (fill $ amount from SS8C) less each week?

SS9

Please ask me this question in your own words.

SSP1

Which do you understand better, <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o beneficios de cupones para alimentos?

SSP2 ¿En qué meses del 2013 fueron recibidos los beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

JANUARY 1

FEBRUARY 2

MARCH 3

APRIL 4

MAY 5

JUNE 6

JULY 7

AUGUST 8

SEPTEMBER 9

OCTOBER 10

NOVEMBER 11

DECEMBER 12

ALL MONTHS 13

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SSP2D ¿En qué fecha en noviembre (usted/su casa) recibió los beneficios de<STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

MARCH |____|____|

DAY

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSP2

Was this an easy question for you to answer? What made it easy?

SSP2D Normal administration

SSP3 ¿Cuánto recibió (usted/su casa) la última vez que recibió beneficios de<STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

$ | | , | | | |. SNAP BENEFITS

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

NO SNAP BENEFITS n

SSP6 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿algún niño en la casa (entre 5 y 18 años de edad) recibió almuerzos gratis o a costo reducido en la escuela?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

NO CHILDREN 5 TO 18 nGO TO SSP7A

IF ONE OR MORE CHILD IN HOUSEHOLD BETWEEN 5 AND 18 YEARS OF AGE, FILL PARENTHETICAL

SSP7 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿algún niño en la casa (entre los 5 y 18 años de edad) recibió desayunos gratis o a costo reducido en la escuela?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSP3 Normal administration

SSP6 Normal administration

SSP7 Normal administration

IF ONE OR MORE CHILDREN UNDER AGE 5 IN HOUSEHOLD ASK SSP7A, ELSE GO TO SSP8

SSP7A Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿algún niño en la casa recibió comida gratis o a costo reducido en una guardería o en un programa de Head Start?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

NO CHILDREN 0 TO 13 n

IF FEMALE AGE 15 TO 45 AND NO CHILD AGE 0 TO 4, FILL FIRST OPTION.

IF FEMALE AGE 15 TO 45 AND CHILD AGE 0 TO 4, FILL SECOND OPTION.

IF NO FEMALE IN HOUSEHOLD BUT CHILD 0 TO 4, FILL THIRD OPTION

SSP8 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿(algunas mujeres/algunas mujeres o niños/algunos niños) en esta casa recibieron comida a través del programa WIC?

YES 1

NO 0 GO TO SSC1

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

IF FEMALE AGE 15 TO 45 AND NO CHILD AGE 0 TO 4, FILL FIRST OPTION.

IF FEMALE AGE 15 TO 45 AND CHILD AGE 0 TO 4, FILL SECOND OPTION.

IF NO FEMALE IN HOUSEHOLD BUT CHILD 0 TO 4, FILL THIRD OPTION

SSP9 ¿Cuántas (mujeres/mujeres o niños/ niños) en la casa recibieron comida WIC?

|____|____| PERSONS

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSP7A Normal administration

SSP8 Normal administration

Are you familiar with WIC?

Do you call it something else?

SSP9 Normal administration

IF ANYONE IN HOUSEHOLD IS 60 YEARS OLD OR OLDER, ASK SSC1, ELSE GO TO SSC3

SSC1 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿(recibió usted/ esta casa) alguna comida entregada a la casa de programas de la comunidad, “Meals on Wheels”, o de cualquier otro programa?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

NO ONE IN HOUSEHOLD AGE 60 OR OLDER nGO TO SSC3

SSC2 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿(fue usted/cualquier persona en esta casa) a un programa de la comunidad o centro de actividades para personas mayores para comer comidas preparadas?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SSC3 En los últimos 12 meses, ¿(recibió usted/usted u otros adultos en su casa) alguna vez comidas de emergencia de una iglesia, una despensa general (food pantry) o un banco de comida (food bank)?

YES 1

NO 0 GO TO SS3A

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSC1

Which term have you heard before: alguna comida de programas de la comunidad or Meals on Wheels?

SSC2

When I said “centro de actividades para personas mayores”, what were you thinking I meant? What would you call such a place?

SSC3

When I said comidas de emergencia what were you thinking about?

SSCF3 ¿Con qué frecuencia pasó esto: casi todos los meses, algunos meses pero no todos los meses o solamente en 1 o 2 meses?

ALMOST EVERY MONTH 1

SOME MONTHS BUT NOT EVERY MONTH 2

ONLY ONE OR TWO MONTHS 3

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SSCM3 ¿Ocurrió esto en los últimos 30 días?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SS3A ¿Hay una iglesia, una despensa general (food pantry) o un banco de comida (food bank) en su comunidad donde podría conseguir comida de emergencia si la necesitara?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSCF3

Please repeat this question to me in your own words.

Pasó / Sucedió?

SSCM3 Normal administration

SSC3A Normal administration

SSC4 En los últimos 12 meses, (usted/usted u otros adultos en su casa) alguna vez (comió) algunas comidas en un comedor popular o de beneficencia o un albergue?

YES 1

NO 0 GO TO END

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SSCF4 ¿Con qué frecuencia pasó esto: casi todos los meses, algunos meses pero no todos los meses o solamente en 1 o 2 meses?

ALMOST EVERY MONTH 1

SOME MONTHS BUT NOT EVERY MONTH 2

ONLY ONE OR TWO MONTHS 3

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

SSCM4 ¿Ocurrió esto en los últimos 30 días?

YES 1

NO 0

DON’T KNOW d

REFUSED r

*****END OF SUPPLEMENT*****

Hemos llegado al final de la encuesta. ¡Muchísimas gracias por su ayuda!

COGNITIVE PROTOCOL (Cont’d)

SSC4

What were you thinking about as you answered this question?

SSCF4 Normal administration

SSCM4 Normal administration

Appendix C
Thank you Letter

Raquel af Ursin

Survey Director

Abril de 2013

ERS - 01

Estimado participante,

Gracias por completar la encuesta para el estudio patrocinado por el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos/Servicio de Investigación Económica acerca de la comida usada en su casa. Adjuntamos una tarjeta de regalo de Target por $40 como agradecimiento por haber completado la encuesta.

¡Gracias otra vez!

Atentamente,

Adjunto

P.O. Box 2393

Princeton, NJ 08543-2393

Telephone (609) 799-3535

Fax (609) 799-0005

www.mathematica-mpr.com

APPENDIX D
FINAL TRANSLATION

CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY FOOD SECURITY SUPPLEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE ENGLISH SOURCE AND SPANISH TRANSLATION

[LEAD for one-person households]This month we are asking some questions about food used in your household and the ways you are managing to meet your food needs.

[SLEAD for two or more person households]This month we are asking some questions about food used in your household and the ways you are managing to meet your food needs. (/The best person to answer would be the adult most knowledgeable about food shopping and meal preparation. Would that be you or someone else?)

[SLEAD for one-person households]Este mes estamos haciendo algunas preguntas sobre los comestibles usados en su casa y lo que está haciendo para satisfacer sus necesidades de comida.

[SLEAD for two or more person households]Este mes estamos haciendo algunas preguntas sobre la comida usada en su casa y lo que (está/están) haciendo para satisfacer sus necesidades de comida. ( /La mejor persona para contestar sería el adulto con mayor conocimiento acerca de las compras de comestibles y preparación de comida. ¿Esa persona sería usted o alguna otra persona?

(Source: Original translation)

S1A These first questions are about all the places at which you bought food LAST WEEK. By LAST WEEK, I mean from Sunday through Saturday.

First, did (you/anyone in your household) shop for food at a supermarket or grocery store LAST WEEK?

SS1A Las primeras preguntas son acerca de todos los lugares donde (compró/compraron) comestibles LA SEMANA PASADA. Cuando digo LA SEMANA PASADA, quiero decir de domingo a sábado.

Primero, ¿compró (usted/su casa) comida comestibles en un supermercado, bodega o tienda de comida LA SEMANA PASADA?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S1B Think about other places where people buy food, such as meat markets, produce stands, bakeries, warehouse clubs, and convenience stores. Did (you/anyone in your household) buy food from any stores such as these LAST WEEK?

SS1B Piense en otros lugares donde la gente compra comestibles, tal como carnicerías, verdulerías, panaderías, clubes mayoristas, y tiendas de conveniencia. ¿Compró (usted/su casa) comestibles de alguna de estas tiendas LA SEMANA PASADA?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S1C LAST WEEK, did (you/anyone in your household) buy food at a restaurant, fast food place, cafeteria, or vending machine? (Include any children who may have bought food at the school cafeteria).

SS1C LA SEMANA PASADA, ¿compró (usted/su casa) comida en un restaurante, lugar de comida rápida, cafetería, o de una máquina expendedora? ( /Incluya a cualquier niño que pueda haber comprado comida en la cafetería de la escuela.)

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S1D Did (you/anyone in your household) buy food from any other kind of place LAST WEEK?

SS1D ¿Compró (usted/su casa) comestibles de cualquier otro tipo de lugar LA SEMANA PASADA?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SLEAD Now I'm going to ask you about the ACTUAL amount you spent on food LAST WEEK in all the places where you bought food. Then, since LAST WEEK may have been unusual for you, I will ask about the amount you USUALLY spend.

SSLEAD Ahora le voy a preguntar sobre el monto EXACTO que gastó en comestibles LA SEMANA PASADA en todos los lugares donde compró comestibles. Después, como LA SEMANA PASADA puede haber sido inusual para usted, le preguntaré acerca del monto que gasta USUALMENTE.

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S2 How much did (you/anyone in your household) ACTUALLY spend at supermarkets and grocery stores LAST WEEK (including any purchases made with <SNAPNAME1> or food stamp benefits)?

SS2 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en supermercados bodega o tiendas de comida en LA SEMANA PASADA ( /incluyendo compras hechas con beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos)?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S3A How much of the (fill with S2O) was for non-food items, such as pet food, paper products, alcohol, detergents, or cleaning supplies?

SS3A De estos (fill with S2O), ¿qué cantidad fue para artículos no comestibles, tal como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, alcohol, detergentes, o productos de limpieza?

(Source: USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S4 How much did (you/your household) spend at stores such as meat markets, produce stands, bakeries, warehouse clubs, and convenience stores LAST WEEK (including any purchases made with <SNAPNAME1> or food stamp benefits)?

SS4 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en tiendas como carnicerías, verdulerías, panaderías, clubes mayoristas, y tiendas de conveniencia LA SEMANA PASADA ( /incluyendo compras hechas con beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos)?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S5A How much of the $(fill with S4O) was for non-food items, such as pet food,

paper products, alcohol, detergents, or cleaning supplies?

SS5A De estos $(fill with S4O), ¿qué cantidad fue para artículos no comestibles, como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, alcohol, detergentes, o productos de limpieza?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S6 How much did (you/ your household) spend for food at restaurants, fast food places, cafeterias, and vending machines LAST WEEK, not including alcohol purchases?

SS6 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en comida en restaurantes, lugares de comida rápida, cafeterías, o máquinas expendedoras LA SEMANA PASADA, sin incluir compras de bebidas alcohólicas?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S7 How much did (you/ your household) spend for food at any other kind of

place LAST WEEK?

SS7 ¿Cuánto gastó (usted/su casa) en comestibles en cualquier otro tipo de lugar LA SEMANA PASADA?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S8 (Let's see, it seems that (you/your household) did not buy any food LAST WEEK. /Let's see, (you/your household) spent about (fill with S8O) on food LAST WEEK.) Now think about how much (you/anyone in your household) USUALLY (spend/spends). How much (do you/does your household) USUALLY spend on food at all the different places we've been talking about IN A WEEK? (Please include any purchases made with <SNAPNAME1> or food stamp benefits). Do not include non-food items such as pet food, paper products, detergent or cleaning supplies.

SS8 (Veamos, parece que (usted/su casa) no compró ningún comestible LA SEMANA PASADA. /Veamos, (usted/su casa) gastó unos (fill with S8O) en comestibles LA SEMANA PASADA.) Ahora piense en cuánto gasta (usted/su casa) USUALMENTE. ¿Cuánto gasta (usted/su casa) USUALMENTE en comestibles en todos los lugares diferentes que hemos mencionado EN UNA SEMANA? (Por favor incluya cualquier compra hecha con su beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos). No incluya productos no comestibles tal como comida para mascotas, productos de papel, detergentes o productos de limpieza.

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

S8ZA If that is because you shop for food infrequently, how much would the weekly average be over several weeks?

SS8ZA Si eso se debe a que usted hace compras de comestibles con poca frecuencia, ¿cuánto sería el promedio semanal durante varias semanas?

(Source: Original translation)

II. MINIMUM SPENDING NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH FOOD

S8B In order to buy just enough food to meet (your needs/the needs of your household), would you need to spend more than you do now, or could you

spend less?

SS8B Para comprar suficiente comida sólo para satisfacer (sus necesidades/las necesidades de su casa) ¿tendría usted que gastar más de lo que gasta ahora o cree que podría gastar menos?

(Source: Original translation)

S8C About how much MORE would you need to spend each week to buy just

enough food to meet the needs of your household?

SS8C Aproximadamente, ¿cuánto MÁS tendría que gastar cada semana para poder comprar suficiente comida sólo para satisfacer las necesidades de su casa?

(Source: Original translation)

S8D About how much LESS could you spend each week and still buy enough food

to meet the needs of your household?

SS8D Aproximadamente, ¿cuánto MENOS podría usted gastar cada semana y todavía comprar suficiente comida para satisfacer las necesidades de su casa?

(Source: Original translation)

S9 People do different things when they are running out of money for food in order to make their food or their food money go further.

In the last 12 months, since December of last year, did you ever run short of money and try to make your food or your food money go further?

SS9 La gente hace cosas diferentes cuando se les está acabando el dinero para comida para hacer que la comida o el dinero para comida le rinda más.

En los últimos 12 meses, desde diciembre del año pasado, ¿se quedó alguna vez escaso de dinero y trató de hacer que su comida o el dinero para comida le rindiera más?

(Source: Original translation)

SP1 In the past 12 months, since December of last year, did (you/anyone in this household) get <SNAPNAME2> or food stamp benefits?

SSP1 En los últimos 12 meses, desde diciembre del año pasado, ¿recibió (usted/su casa) beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

(Source: Original translation)

SP2 In which months of 2013 were <SNAPNAME1> or food stamp benefits received?

SSP2 ¿En qué meses del 2013 fueron recibidos los beneficios de <STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

(Source: Original translation)

SP2D On what date in November did (you/your household) receive <SNAPNAME1> or food stamp benefits?

SSP2D ¿En qué fecha en noviembre (usted/su casa) recibió los beneficios de<STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

(Source: Original translation)

SP3 How much did (you/ your household) receive the last time you got <SNAPNAME1> or food stamp benefits?

SSP3 ¿Cuánto recibió (usted/su casa) la última vez que recibió beneficios de<STATE NAME FOR SNAP> o de cupones para alimentos?

(Source: Original translation)

SP6 During the past 30 days, did any children in the household

(between 5 and 18 years old) receive free or reduced-cost lunches at school?

SSP6 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿algún niño en la casa (entre 5 y 18 años de edad) recibió almuerzos gratis o a costo reducido en la escuela?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SP7 During the past 30 days, did any children in the household (between 5 and 18 years old) receive free or reduced-cost breakfasts at school?

SSP7 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿algún niño en la casa (entre los 5 y 18 años de edad) recibió desayunos gratis o a costo reducido en la escuela?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SP7A During the past 30 days, did any children in the household receive free or reduced-cost food at a day-care or Head Start program?

SSP7A Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿algún niño en la casa recibió comida gratis o a costo reducido en una guardería o en un programa de Head Start?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SP8 During the past 30 days, did any (women/women or children/children) in this household

get food through the WIC program?

SSP8 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿(algunas mujeres/algunas mujeres o niños/algunos niños) en esta casa recibieron comida a través del programa WIC?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SP9 How many (women/women or children/children) in the household got WIC foods?

SSP9 ¿Cuántas (mujeres/mujeres o niños/ niños) en la casa recibieron comida WIC?

(Source: Modified USDA Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer For Children, Spring Baseline Questionnaire, Mathematica Policy Research, April 2012)

SC1 During the past 30 days, did (you/anyone in this household) receive any meals delivered to the home from community programs, “Meals on Wheels,” or any other programs?

SSC1 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿(recibió usted/ esta casa) alguna comida entregada a la casa de programas de la comunidad, “Meals on Wheels”, o de cualquier otro programa?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SC2 During the past 30 days, did (you/anyone in this household) go to a

community program or senior center to eat prepared meals?

SSC2 Durante los últimos 30 días, ¿(fue usted/cualquier persona en esta casa) a un programa de la comunidad o centro de actividades para personas mayores para comer comidas preparadas?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SC3 In the last 12 months, did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever

get emergency food from a church, a food pantry, or food bank?

SSC3 En los últimos 12 meses, ¿(recibió usted/usted u otros adultos en su casa) alguna vez comidas de emergencia de una iglesia, una despensa general (food pantry) o un banco de comida (food bank)?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SCF3 How often did this happen-almost every month, some months but not every

month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

SSCF3 ¿Con qué frecuencia sucedió esto: casi todos los meses, algunos meses pero no todos los meses o solamente en 1 o 2 meses?

(Source: Original translation)

SCM3 Did this happen in the last 30 days?

SSCM3 ¿Ocurrió esto en los últimos 30 días?

(Source: USDA Spanish Language Food Security Module)

SC3A Is there a church, food pantry or food bank in your community where you

could get emergency food if you needed it?

SS3A ¿Hay una iglesia, una despensa general (food pantry) o un banco de comida (food bank) en su comunidad donde podría conseguir comida de emergencia si la necesitara?

(Source: Original translation)

SC4 In the last 12 months, did (you/you or other adults in your household) ever

eat any meals at a soup kitchen or shelter?

SSC4 En los últimos 12 meses, (usted/usted u otros adultos en su casa) alguna vez (comió) algunas comidas en un comedor popular o de beneficencia o un albergue?

(Source: Modified USDA SNAP Food Security Telephone Survey, Mathematica Policy Research, March 2011)

SCF4 How often did this happen-almost every month, some months but not every

month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

SSCF4 ¿Con qué frecuencia sucedió esto: casi todos los meses, algunos meses pero no todos los meses o solamente en 1 o 2 meses?

(Source: Original translation)

SCM4 Did this happen in the last 30 days?

SSCM4 ¿Ocurrió esto en los últimos 30 días?

(Source: USDA Spanish Language Food Security Module)

*****END OF SUPPLEMENT*****

1 The Spanish translation has an “S” before the question number.

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