An examination of question order effects on population health survey data using split sample CATI experiments

"The use of CATI methods for conducting population health surveys is an enduring and popular practice. Although it is one of the most reliable ways to collect data, there is a range of sampling and non sampling errors which can potentially affect the abiliity of CATI surveys to provide accurate results. This thesis examined the impact of a particular type of non-sampling error - question order effects - in CATI surveys. Two studies were conducted one which examined order effects in data collected using a standard health survey instrument designed to measure and classify physical activity behaviour, and one which examined order effects in data collected using two question blocks designed to evaluate health related knowledge and attitudes"--Abstract.