PropertyValue
is nif:broaderContext of
nif:broaderContext
is schema:hasPart of
schema:isPartOf
nif:isString
  • The NIFS is a nationally representative probability-based Internet panel survey of the non-institutionalized U.S. population ≥18 years, sponsored by CDC. The 2015 NIFS was conducted by RTI International and GfK Custom Research, LLC. The primary goal of NIFS is to rapidly collect influenza vaccination-related data early in the influenza season [20]. The NIFS sample was drawn from GfK’s KnowledgePanel® [21], an online panel consisting of a representative random sample of the U.S. population. The KnowledgePanel® recruitment response rate was approximately 13% using the American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate 3 formula [22]. The survey was conducted in English only. For the GfK panel, participants were initially chosen by a random selection of residential addresses and were continuously recruited. Persons in selected households were then invited to become a member of the survey panel. For those who agreed to participate but did not already have Internet access, GfK provided both a computer and Internet access at no cost. Panelists received unique login information for accessing surveys online, and were sent e-mails inviting them to participate in a variety of surveys. The 2015 NIFS sampling design was a single-stage stratified sample with oversampling of select subgroups of particular analytical interest. Twelve mutually exclusive design strata were defined as the interaction of two categorical variables—age (18–49 years, 50–64 years, and 65 years and older) and race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic other/multiple races)—known for all members of the probability-based Internet panel. Independent random samples were selected within each design stratum. A total of 6,148 panel members across the 12 design strata were randomly sampled using probabilities of selection inversely proportional to the KnowledgePanel® survey weight (a base weight adjusted for nonresponse) from 42,075 eligible panelists, with a target of 4,025 completed surveys. A total of 3,301 completed the survey, with a completion rate of 53.7% (unweighted). Sample members were offered the standard KnowledgePanel® incentive—1,000 points (equivalent to $1); they were not offered additional incentives for NIFS participation specifically. The NIFS was conducted from October 29 to November 11, 2015. The NIFS collects information about early-season influenza vaccination and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to influenza and influenza vaccination in the U.S. adult population. Additionally, other information such as demographic and access-to-care characteristics was collected. In the 2015 NIFS, new questions regarding precautions taken to avoid catching influenza or spreading influenza to others were added to the survey. Information on the preventive behaviors among adults aged ≥18 years were based on two survey questions. To determine precautions taken to avoid catching influenza, respondents were asked: In general, what precautions do you take to avoid catching the flu? Check all that apply. The response options were: getting a flu vaccination; washing your hands often; using hand sanitizers; avoiding people who are sick with a respiratory illness; covering your mouth and nose with a mask; taking vitamins; taking herbal medicine or products; other (specify); or none of the above. To determine precautions taken to avoid spreading influenza to others, respondents were asked: In general, if you get the flu, what precautions do you take to avoid passing the flu to others? Check all that apply. The response options were: washing your hands often; using hand sanitizers; staying home if sick with a respiratory illness; covering your mouth and nose with a mask; covering coughs and sneezes; getting treatment as soon as possible; other (specify); or none of the above. The verbatim responses were evaluated and back-coded into existing categories or newly created categories, resulting in 14 behaviors to avoid catching influenza and 12 behaviors to avoid spreading influenza to others included in this analysis. For succinctness, the resulting 14 behaviors to avoid catching influenza were grouped into four non-mutually exclusive groups (a person could be in multiple groups). These groups were: 1) getting an influenza vaccination; 2) personal hygiene behaviors (included washing hands often, using hand sanitizers, and using disinfectants); 3) personal health and dietary behaviors (included maintaining a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, getting adequate rest, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, taking vitamins, taking herbal medicine or products, and drinking ample fluids); and/or 4) interpersonal social behaviors (included avoiding people who are sick with a respiratory illness, covering mouth and nose with a mask, and avoiding others in general). Likewise, the 12 behaviors to avoid spreading influenza to others were grouped into three non-mutually exclusive groups. These groups were: 1) personal hygiene behaviors (included washing hands often and using hand sanitizers); 2) personal health and dietary behaviors (included getting adequate rest, getting treatment as soon as possible, drinking ample fluids, and taking supplements); and/or 3) interpersonal social behaviors (included staying home if sick with a respiratory illness, covering your mouth and nose with a mask, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding others in general, and using disinfectants). A person could be included in more than one of these groupings. Influenza vaccination and other variables: Other sociodemographic variables collected during the NIFS or as part of GfK panel recruitment included age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, educational level, employment status, annual household income, region of residence, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status, and household size. Receipt of influenza vaccination (as of the date respondents completed the online survey) also is reported based upon the survey question, A flu vaccination can be a shot injected in the arm or a mist sprayed in the nose by a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other health professional. Since July 1, 2015, have you had a flu vaccination? Influenza vaccination coverage estimates represent the cumulative proportion of persons vaccinated by the time when the survey was completed [20]. Unadjusted proportions are reported along with 95% confidence intervals. All analyses were weighted to the U.S. population of non-institutionalized adults using the 2015 March Supplement of the Current Population Survey estimates after adjusting the NIFS base weights for nonresponse. A bias analysis was conducted to determine the influence of nonresponse in the results using demographic and geographic information available in the KnowledgePanel® sampling frame. Tests were performed with a significance level set at α = 0.05. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to calculate adjusted prevalence differences (adjusting for all variables included in the model) and to determine the independent associations between sociodemographic characteristics and preventive behavior subgroups. Separate regression models were run for each preventive behavior subgroup because the groupings were not mutually exclusive. T-tests were used to test differences in adjusted coverage within each covariate category compared with appropriate reference groups for each preventive behavior subgroup. All analyses were performed using SAS, release 9.4 (SAS Inc. Cary, NC, USA) and SUDAAN, release 11.0.1 (Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA). The NIFS was designated as “Public Health Non-Research” during the determination for applicability of human subjects’ regulations, because the activity is not intended to include applicable research, but to access the implementation, coverage, performance, and/or satisfaction with an existing public health program, service, function, intervention or recommendation. Data security was addressed and informed consent was sought.
rdf:type