The Arizona Health Survey

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the survey take?

How long does the survey take?
On average, the adult survey takes 25-30 minutes, but may take as little as 20 minutes, depending on your answers. The adolescent survey takes about 15-20 minutes and the child survey takes about 15 minutes.

How did you get my phone number?
Your phone number was randomly generated by computer from all the possible telephone numbers in your area. This is a scientific process to choose survey participants. Your number was not selected from a telephone directory, and if your number is unlisted, it will remain unlisted.

My phone number is on the "Do Not Call" List. Why did you call?
The national Do Not Call List is intended to prevent unwanted phone calls from telemarketers. As a legitimate, scientific health survey that is not selling anything, the Arizona Health Survey is exempt from the Do Not Call list.

Why did you mail me a letter?
When possible, a letter is mailed to your home before we call. This letter explains the purpose of the study and lets you know that we will be calling. We do this so that you will know who we are and why we are calling. After a computer selected your phone number, our data collection contractor, Westat, attempted to match an address to the telephone number. If a matching address was found, a letter was sent.

Why don't you just mail me the survey? Why do I have to do it over the telephone?
The Arizona Health Survey was designed as a telephone survey, using question design and interview techniques specifically for the phone format. Answering it in a different format may affect the results.

How many people are you calling?
We are calling 4,000 randomly selected households throughout Arizona.

Why can't you call someone else?
A computer carefully chose your phone number as part of a scientific sample. If we replace the numbers that were selected with other numbers, it will affect the accuracy of our study.

How do I know you will keep my information confidential? How will my privacy be protected?
Keeping individual information confidential is a top priority for us. No names are retained, all telephone numbers and any home address (if we had one) are stripped away from the survey answers so that no one can directly connect responses to a person or household. Everyone working on this study is required by law to protect the confidentiality of people who participate. We are bound by very rigid rules set up by an Institutional Review Board to protect your privacy and rights as a participant in this survey.

What kinds of questions will you be asking?
The survey covers eight general areas:

Demographics (age, gender, employment, ehtnicity, etc.)
General Health Status (overall health and well-being)
Health Behaviors (excercise, diet, etc.)
Physical and Mental Health Conditions
Health Insurance
Use of Health Care Services
Neighborhood, Housing and Social Relationships

Why are you asking about my income?
We are asking only to make sure we talk to families with a range of different incomes. This is because families with varied incomes may have different experiences and needs. As with all questions on the survey, your income information will be kept confidential.

Why do you need the names of people who live here?
We only need first names, and nicknames are fine. Using first names makes it easier for the interviewer to talk with you about these people.

Why do you need the ages of people who live here?
The survey has three parts that deal with different age groups. We need the ages of the people in your household to decide which parts to use.

Will my answers affect my AHCCCS, KidsCare, WIC or other benefits?
No. Your identity will be kept completely confidential and will not be shared with government agencies. Participating in this survey will not affect any of your benefits.

What if I don't have any health problems?
We want to talk to people who have health problems, as well as those who do not, to get a better understanding of the health status and health needs of all Arizonans.

What if I don't have health insurance?
We are very interested in learning about the health and healthcare needs of Arizonans, regardless of whether or not they have health insurance. If you do not have health insurance, that is also something we want to know.

Why are you asking about medical debts?
Even for people with insurance, the cost of care often influences the use of health care services.

What if I don't have children?
We want to talk to people with and without children. If you do not have kids we will only ask questions from the adult section of the survey.

I need to change my interview appointment. How can I do that?
Please call the survey company (Westat) to change your appointment. Their toll-free number is 1-888-290-7033.

I was disconnected. How can I finish the survey?
Please call the survey company (Westat) to finish the survey. Their toll-free number is 1-888-290-7033.

Do I have to do this? What if I don't want to answer some of the questions?
Your participation is voluntary, but we are very interested in what you have to say. You represent many more people like yourself, so your input will be very helpful to us. You do not have to answer all the questions, and may refuse to answer any question at any time.

Who is funding the Arizona Health Survey?
Funding for the Arizona Health Survey is provided by a number of Arizona foundations, including St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the Arizona Community Foundation and Valley of the Sun United Way.

How will the study results be used?
The information collected from this survey will help researchers, policymakers, non-profit organizations and grantmakers better understand health problems and difficulties in getting health care in Arizona. With this information, improvements can be made to public health programs and the health care system.

How can I get a copy of the survey results?
Early results from 2008 Arizona Health Survey will be available in November 2008 and can be accessed through this website or through the St. Luke’s Health Initiatives website at www.slhi.org.

Can you tell me who to call to get health care or mental health services?
The Arizona Health Survey is not authorized to provide referrals. Information about service providers in your area, including low-cost options, is available by calling Community Information and Referral at (602) 263-8856 within Maricopa County, or 1-800-352-3792 in other areas. Information is also available through Arizona 2-1-1 Online at www.az211.gov.

Where can I get information about AHCCCS and KidsCare?
Information and applications for AHCCCS and KidsCare are available at: http://www.ahcccs.state.az.us/Members/Forms.asp.