Quality assurance Kari Kuulasmaa 1 st EHES Training Seminar, February 2010, Rome

Quality assurance includes Good overall management of the survey Procedures that assure standardized stable measurements Training Piloting Quality control Evaluation of the achieved quality

Quality assurance in EHES 1. Survey design: Definition of the scope and objectives 6. Data-file construction, analysis and reporting 5. Fieldwork and data collection 4. Final survey design, planning and preparation 3. Pre-testing and piloting 2. Planning and preparation Quality assurance Planning for a new survey

Survey management Well-defined organization Responsibilities Professional coordination Efficient use of the resources Follow-up of progress Detection and solution of problems Risk analysis

Standard procedures A prerequisite for high quality data Specification or guidelines in the EHES Manual Precise documentation in the National Manual If you consider deviations from the EHES standards, consult the EHES RC

Training of personnel To acquire the skills to follow the standard procedures How to act in exceptional situations Important for all survey personnel Certification of measurers

Piloting Small-size HES for about 200 participants 3-6 months prior to the full-size HES Purpose: To test and evaluate the survey process before the full-size HES To familiarize the staff with the real fieldwork and potential problems

Aspects to evaluate in the pilot Sampling Recruitment Wording of confidentiality pledge Obtaining informed consent Questionnaire and Interview process Measurement procedures and equipment Examination site arrangements Timing of examinations Burden to participants Data entry and management Blood sampling processing, transfer and storage Logistics

Quality control To detect problems in measurements and data management soon after they occur Ideally so that they can be remedied Anyway before erroneous results reported Necessary in order that the users of the survey data can be convinced about the good quality Simple and cost effective, if planned properly Should be described in the National Manual

Internal QC Carried out by the survey teams Relevant for all phases where data are transferred from a form or place to another Consists of a large number of usually simple actions Interview and measurement procedures Measurement instruments Recording of results of measurement Data and sample transfer, management and storage Activities and corrective actions should be documented

External quality assessment (EQA) Independent review from outside the survey organization Complements IQC EHES coordinates and conducts EQA Can be also other sources of EQA

EQA by EHES RC Monitors planning and implementation of National HESs Review of National Manuals Site visits Data assessment Laboratory EQA

Evaluation of the achieved quality Assessment and documentation of Achieved data quality Country specific characteristics of the data Facilitates correct interpretation of results Helps in improving future surveys Particularly important for Assessment of trends International comparisons

Keep the EHES RC informed Timing of the HES fieldwork or the pilot If consider deviations from the EHES standards If any uncertainty in deciding on instruments or measurement procedures

Remember Things never go fully as planned. Be prepared for this.