Rapid surveys for program evaluation: design and implementation of an experiment in Ecuador Encuestas rápidas para la evaluación de programas: diseño y aplicación de un experimento en el Ecuador

• Main Authors: Kate Macintyre, Richard E. Bilsborrow, Caton Olmedo, Rodolfo Carrasco
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 1999
• Subjects: Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/19ab70bce88f4c19bfa3ae53a749bce7

This paper presents details from the field test of two rapid surveys in Ecuador in 1995. It focuses on how the surveys were designed and implemented, including descriptions of the sampling procedures, the preparation and use of preprogrammed palmtop computers for data entry, the selection criteria for the interviewing team, and how the training was designed. Lessons are drawn that will assist health professionals plan and carry out better rapid data collection in the future. The objective of the study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of data gathered during the rapid surveys as compared with a recent "gold standard" national survey. A two-way factorial design was used to control for differences in sampling (probability versus quasi-probability) and methods of data collection (paper versus palmtop computer). Few differences were detected between the surveys done on palmtops as compared to paper ones, but urban and rural differentials in contraceptive use were less pronounced in the rapid surveys than in the earlier, national survey. This suggests that caution should be exercised in interpreting the disaggregated data in these rapid surveys. In-depth interviews revealed two features of the rapid surveys that were especially popular: the palmtops for their speed of data entry, and the short questionnaire for its "low impact" on a respondent's time. The common belief that computers would disturb respondents was not found to be the case. Even with no computer experience, the interviewers rapidly mastered the new technology. Este trabajo detalla algunos aspectos de la prueba en el terreno de dos encuestas rápidas efectuadas en el Ecuador en 1995. Examina el diseño y la aplicación de las encuestas; la preparación y el uso de computadoras de bolsillo preprogramadas para la inclusión de los datos; los criterios de selección del equipo de entrevistadores, y el diseño del adiestramiento. Se extraen lecciones que ayudarán a los profesionales de la salud a mejorar en su futuro desempeño la forma de planificar y ...