Using the Internet to Conduct Nutrition Survey Research

Abstract Survey research is a valuable tool to gather information from select populations. The Internet is a feasible and cost-saving medium to conduct such research. The University of Minnesota Cyberspace Cohort Study estimates that providing its survey on the Internet will save over $100,000 in printing, mailing and data entry costs. This session will present the components essential to conduct small- or large-scale surveys on the Web: 1) Designing the survey, using specialized commercial Web authoring programs or Hypertext Markup Language (HTML); 2) Incorporating syntax into survey text to allow automatic transfer of participants' responses to a statistics program; 3) Preparing the statistical analysis package to directly accept submitted data; 4) Maintaining control over who responds to the survey; and, 5) Maintaining confidentiality of submitted responses. When designing a Web-based survey, the researcher should work with computer support personnel to insure that the project is feasible at one's institution, and that the data will be translated appropriately into a statistical analysis package. Pilot testing is critical, especially by people outside of the researcher's computer network. All components (mass e-mail, study information, maintenance of control of both who participates and confidentiality of response, the survey itself, notification of receipt of response, translation into statistical package, and data analysis) must work perfectly on any network. A significant amount of time and attention to detail is required to design an effective survey administered through the Internet, even more so than via the paper and pencil route. However, once the skill has been attained, future surveys, local or national, that can be administered on the Web, will require limited time and money.