Collecting Contextual Health Survey Data Using Systematic Observation

Abstract

This chapter describes the use of systematic observation to collect contextual information on ecologic settings. It provides an overview of advantages and disadvantages of this method compared to others and major methodological considerations in conducting systematic observation. These include considerations for selecting an instrument or developing one (what); sampling (where); observer training; data collection approaches (i.e., direct, virtual), modes (how; e.g., paper forms, computer-assisted data collection, videotaping, still photography), and who should conduct the observations and when; reliability and validity assessment; and data analysis. The chapter provides two examples of health studies in which systematic observation was used. The first study utilized systematic observation to examine associations between the neighborhood built environment and health survey data on obesity among adolescents. The second study employed systematic observation to evaluate the impact of a policy change on healthy food availability and prices at retail stores.

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