Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) Data User Guide: Cycle 2

Table of contents

1. Introduction

2. Important notes related to this document

2.1 Acronyms and abbreviations
2.2 References and end notes
2.3 Survey documentation
2.4 Updates to CHMS documentation

2.4.1 User guide
2.4.2 Data files

3. Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) background and objectives

3.1 CHMS background
3.2 CHMS objectives

4. Survey approval

4.1 Authority
4.2 Ethical protocols and privacy standards

5. Survey content

6. Sample design

6.1 Target population
6.2 Sample size and allocation
6.3 Sampling frames and sampling strategy

6.3.1 Sampling of collection sites
6.3.2 Dwelling sampling
6.3.3 Respondent sampling
6.3.4 Activity monitor and indoor air sampler subsamples
6.3.5 Blood and urine subsamples

6.3.5.1 Fasted subsampling
6.3.5.2 Environmental blood subsampling
6.3.5.3 Environmental urine subsampling

7. Data collection

7.1 Preparation for collection

7.1.1 The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) team

7.1.1.1 Field team
7.1.1.2 Mobile Examination Centre (MEC) team
7.1.1.3 Head office staff

7.1.2 The Mobile Examination Centre (MEC)
7.1.3 Informatics environment
7.1.4 Questionnaire design

7.1.4.1 Household questionnaire
7.1.4.2 MEC questionnaire
7.1.4.3 Indoor air questions
7.1.4.4 Fish and shellfish consumption
7.1.4.5 Grooming products

7.2 Collection

7.2.1 Collection – Household interview
7.2.2 Collection – MEC
7.2.3 Collection – Home visit

7.3 Minimizing non-response

7.3.1 Minimizing non-response – Household interview

7.3.1.1 Introductory material
7.3.1.2 Initiating contact
7.3.1.3 Refusal procedures
7.3.1.4 Language barriers
7.3.1.5 Youth respondents
7.3.1.6 Proxy interviews

7.3.2 Minimizing non-response – MEC

7.3.2.1 Non-response follow-up
7.3.2.2 Flexible MEC hours
7.3.2.3 Refusal procedures
7.3.2.4 Language barriers
7.3.2.5 Youth respondents

7.4 Physical measures protocols - MEC

7.4.1 Anthropometry

7.4.1.1 Standing height
7.4.1.2 Sitting height
7.4.1.3 Weight
7.4.1.4 Waist circumference
7.4.1.5 Hip circumference
7.4.1.6 Neck circumference
7.4.1.7 Skinfolds

7.4.2 Heart rate and blood pressure
7.4.3 Spirometry
7.4.4 Musculoskeletal fitness

7.4.4.1 Grip strength component
7.4.4.2 Sit and reach component
7.4.4.3 Partial curl-up component
7.4.4.4 Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (mCAFT) component

7.4.5 Activity monitor

7.5 Indoor air sampler protocol

7.6 Laboratory measures protocols

7.6.1 Sample collection

7.6.1.1 Blood collection
7.6.1.2 Urine collection

7.6.2 Analysis of CBC performed at the Mobile Examination Centre (MEC)
7.6.3 Processing and storage of the blood and urine samples
7.6.4 Shipment of the blood and urine samples

8. Data processing

8.1 Verification
8.2 Mark-all-that-apply questions
8.3 Coding
8.4 Editing
8.5 Creation of derived variables
8.6 Analytical range

9. Weighting

9.1 Selection weights for collection sites
9.2 Selection weights for dwellings
9.3 Removal of out-of-scope units
9.4 Household non-response
9.5 Creation of the person weight
9.6 Non-response at the questionnaire level
9.7 Non-response at the MEC level
9.8 Winsorization
9.9 Calibration
9.10 Bootstrap weights
9.11 Weighting for selected subsamples

9.11.1 Weighting for activity monitor data
9.11.2 Weighting for indoor air sampler data

9.11.2.1 Household-level weights
9.11.2.2 Person-level weights

9.11.3 Weighting for blood and urine data

9.11.3.1 Weighting for fasted subsample
9.11.3.2 Weighting for environmental blood and urine subsamples

10. Data quality

10.1 Response rates

10.1.1 Household and MEC response rates
10.1.2 Activity monitor response rates
10.1.3 Indoor air sampler response rates
10.1.4 Blood draw and urine response rates
10.1.5 Response rates for blood and urine subsamples

10.1.5.1 Fasted subsample response rates
10.1.5.2 Environmental blood subsample response rates
10.1.5.3 Environmental urine subsample response rates

10.2 Errors in surveys

10.2.1 Non-sampling errors
10.2.2 Sampling errors

10.3 Quality assurance and control

10.3.1 Training of household interviewers and Mobile Examination Centre (MEC) staff

10.3.1.1 Initial training
10.3.1.2 Dress rehearsal
10.3.1.3 Ongoing training – Dry run day
10.3.1.4 Annual retraining

10.3.2 Household component

10.3.2.1 Monitoring – Household interview
10.3.2.2 Household questionnaire response rates
10.3.2.3 Validation of questionnaire responses

10.3.3 Mobile Examination Centre (MEC) component

10.3.3.1 Equipment selection
10.3.3.2 Protocols and procedures
10.3.3.3 Mobile Examination Centre (MEC) environment
10.3.3.4 Adherence to pre-testing guidelines
10.3.3.5 Equipment monitoring
10.3.3.6 Data entry verification
10.3.3.7 Spirometry data review
10.3.3.8 Data validation
10.3.3.9 Activity monitor data review
10.3.3.10 Indoor Air Sampler (IAS) duplicates
10.3.3.11 Replicate testing
10.3.3.12 Mobile Examination Centre (MEC) laboratory
10.3.3.13 Proficiency testing
10.3.3.14 Processing and storage of the blood and urine samples
10.3.3.15 Shipping
10.3.3.16 Blanks

10.3.4 Head office

10.3.4.1 Correcting for bias
10.3.4.2 Indoor air data
10.3.4.3 Insulin data
10.3.4.4 Red blood cell folate data
10.3.4.5 Human Papillomavirus (HPV) data

11. File usage

11.1 Description of data files

11.1.1 Master file (wave 1)
11.1.2 Medication file

11.1.2.1 Naming convention for medication variables
11.1.2.2 Description of key medication variables

11.1.3 Postal code file
11.1.4 Climate and air quality file
11.1.5 Master file (wave 2)
11.1.6 Activity monitor subsample file
11.1.7 Indoor air subsample file – Household level
11.1.8 Indoor air subsample file – Person level
11.1.9 Fasted subsample file
11.1.10 Final master file (wave 3)
11.1.11 Environmental blood subsample file
11.1.12 Environmental urine subsample file

11.2 Key variables for linking data files
11.3 Key variables and definitions
11.4 Use of age and sex variables
11.5 Use of weight variables
11.6 Variable naming convention

11.6.1 Position 4: place holder or variable type
11.6.2 Positions 5-8: question reference

11.7 Access to data files

12. Guidelines for tabulation, analysis and release

12.1 Guidelines for tabulation

12.1.1 Tabulation of categorical and quantitative estimates

12.1.1.1 Categorical estimates
12.1.1.2 Quantitative estimates

12.1.2 Imputation of household income
12.1.3 Other missing data and values below the limit of detection

12.2 Guidelines for statistical analysis

12.2.1 Precise variances or coefficients of variation
12.2.2 Some recommendations for doing analysis with data from cycle 2 of the CHMS
12.2.3 Data comparability over time

12.2.3.1 Normative scales
12.2.3.2 Activity monitor data for 3 to 5 year olds
12.2.3.3 Phthalate data
12.2.3.4 Glucose data
12.2.3.5 Insulin data
12.2.3.6 Microalbumin data
12.2.3.7 Creatinine data
12.2.3.8 Limits of detection
12.2.3.9 Significant digits
12.2.3.10 Combining data from cycles 1 and 2

12.2.4 Tabulations of environmental blood subsample data

12.2.5 Software packages available

12.3 Guidelines for releasing data

12.3.1 Sample size and coefficient of variation
12.3.2 Rounding guidelines

13. References and end notes

Appendix 1 - Acronyms and abbreviations
Appendix 2 - List of available Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) documents
Appendix 3 - List of collection sites for cycle 2
Appendix 4 - Pre-testing guidelines
Appendix 5 - Exclusion criteria
Appendix 6 - Physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q)
Appendix 7 - Medication classification systems
Appendix 8 - Response rates
Appendix 8A - CHMS cycle 2 response rates by age group and sex
Appendix 8B - CHMS cycle 2 activity monitor response rates by age group and sex
Appendix 8C - CHMS cycle 2 indoor air sampler (IAS) response rates
Appendix 8D - CHMS cycle 2 blood draw and urine response rates by age group and sex
Appendix 8E - CHMS cycle 2 fasted subsample response rates by age group and sex
Appendix 8F - CHMS cycle 2 environmental blood subsample response rates by age group and sex
Appendix 8G - CHMS cycle 2 environmental urine subsample response rates by age group and sex
Appendix 9 - Activity monitor research

Appendix 10 - Changes to wave 1 variables