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document
Memory aids in longitudinal health surveys : results from a field experiment . The use of memory aids to improve respondent recall is becoming increasingly popular in health surveys . In a one-year field experiment involving over 1,200 respondents , people assigned memory aids reported over 50 per cent more symptom episodes than those not assigned memory aids . Differences in reporting levels were particularly striking during the first six to 12 weeks of the survey , for symptoms related to acute , transitory illness , and among minorities and the lower socioeconomic groups . Respondents assigned memory aids were also more likely to report a doctor contact -- especially during the fall/winter months . Among respondent who used their memory aids at least once ( N = 252 ) , nearly 35 per cent said they were influenced by the information recorded in their memory aids , and most of those who were influenced said that they became more aware of their health . Ten of these people said that they became more worried or depressed because of the information recorded in their memory aids . This constitutes about a four per cent risk among those people who reported using their memory aids at least once . There was no evidence to suggest that the memory aids influenced perceptions of health status .
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Intervention_Other
Memory aids
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Intervention_Other
memory aids
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Intervention_Educational
memory aids
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Intervention_Other
memory aids
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Intervention_Other
memory aids
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Intervention_Other
memory aids
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Outcome_Mental
influenced by the information recorded in their memory aids
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Outcome_Mental
became more aware of their health
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Outcome_Mental
more worried or depressed
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Outcome_Mental
perceptions of health status
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Participant_Condition
over 1,200 respondents , people assigned memory aids reported over 50 per cent more symptom episodes than those not assigned memory aids .