dR. pHILIP CLARKE VISITS FROM THE uNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Dr. Clarke's research interests include developing methods to value the benefits of improving access to health care, health inequalities and the use of simulation models in health economic evaluation of management strategies for diabetes.

One of his current areas of research is examining ways to deal with recall error in health use surveys which are key input into a wide range of research conducted by economists. It is well known that such data are subject to measurement error that arises when respondents are asked to recall past utilisation. Survey designers must determine the length of the recall period and face a trade-off as increasing the recall period provides more information, but increases the likelihood of recall error. In this study we develop a statistical framework to explore this trade-off and illustrate how optimal recall periods can be estimated using hospital use data from Sweden's Survey of Living Conditions.

View his PowerPoint Presentation Optimal recall length in survey design.