Cognitive Aspects of Health Surveys for Public Information and Policy

Health survey data are an important and efficient source of information for policy makers and administrators. But caution is warranted: surveys do not show cause-and-effect relations, and they are no substitute for randomized controlled experimentation in predicting behavior. The variety of surveys-governmental and private-is increasing, and both methodology employed and interpretation of results can be improved in suggested ways.

Author(s): Stephen E. Fienberg; Elizabeth F. Loftus; Judith M. Tanur

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Volume 63, Issue 3 (pages 598–614)
Published in 1985