Health Information National Trends Survey

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HINTS stands for the Health Information National Trends Survey. The purpose of HINTS is to collect data about the United States public’s use of cancer-related information. HINTS provides information on the changing patterns, needs, and behavior in seeking and supplying cancer information and explores how cancer risks are perceived. While going over the information presented in HINTS 2007, I found that HINTS had improved its methods from the first (2003) and second time (2005) they conducted this study. They used the dual frame or duel mode method by using Random Digit Dialing (RDD) and also a mail survey by the United States Postal Services. The questionnaire that was used was called the CATI, which was a cognitive test that took people about a half hour to complete. The questions consisted of topics such as the person’s view on health care and how they used the health care that is provided. I think that the pilot tests that the researchers did were essential to their experiment. They were able to find out all of the errors in their thinking and fix them before they did the real thing. The data is useful because it helps us understand the different communication channels that adults use to obtain information that is helpful to them and their family and friends. The survey has been repeated and redesigned to get the best possible results, which helps because it shows the trend that has formed among the generations.

For my research questions I focused on people’s perceptions of their risk. My first research question was “How often do you worry about getting cancer?” My null hypothesis is that people are most likely not going to worry about getting cancer very often and my alternative hypothesis would be that most people are very c...

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...ce among rural populations: Results from a nationally representative survey . J Rural Health, doi: 10.1111/jrh.12032
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