The DOI matches its Crossref record; 80 of the 80 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Nonresponse Rates and Nonresponse Bias in Household Surveys
Abstract
Many surveys of the U.S. household population are experiencing higher refusal rates. Nonresponse can, but need not, induce nonresponse bias in survey estimates. Recent empirical findings illustrate cases when the linkage between nonresponse rates and nonresponse biases is absent. Despite this, professional standards continue to urge high response rates. Statistical expressions of nonresponse bias can be translated into causal models to guide hypotheses about when nonresponse causes bias. Alternative designs to measure nonresponse bias exist, providing different but incomplete information about the nature of the bias. A synthesis of research studies estimating nonresponse bias shows the bias often present. A logical question at this moment in history is what advantage probability sample surveys have if they suffer from high nonresponse rates. Since postsurvey adjustment for nonresponse requires auxiliary variables, the answer depends on the nature of the design and the quality of the auxiliary variables.
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In the citing paper
“when a survey loses its overall statistical representativeness (for example, through bias in coverage or non-response), which is difficult to repair (for example, by weighting or modelling on observable characteristics) and almost impossible to verify 45”
From Unrepresentative big surveys significantly overestimated US vaccine uptake (2021) · cites this paper as [45]
In the citing paper
“While it has been shown that the empirical relationship between response rate and nonresponse bias is weak (Groves, 2006)”
From Severe role impairment associated with mental disorders: Results of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project (2018) · cites this paper as Groves, 2006
Citations
Cites
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Deville, J.-C., & Särndal, C.-E. (1992) · Journal of the American Statistical Association · doi:10.1080/01621459.1992.10475217 · Cited by 1,735
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Ziegel, E., Groves, R., & Couper, M. (1998) · Technometrics · doi:10.2307/1271375 · Cited by 1,283
Self-citation
Research works printed but not linked: 15
- AAPOR, 2006, Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Survey
- Bogen, 1996, The Effect of Questionnaire Length on Response Rates: A Review of the Literature, 1020
- Botman, 1992, Survey Design Features Correlates of Nonresponse, 309
- Brick, 2003, No. 8: 2002 NSAF Response Rates
- Brick, 2003, Dealing with Movers in a Longitudinal Study of Children, 2
- Brunner, 1969, The Effect of Prior Notification on the Refusal Rate in Fixed Address Surveys, Journal of Advertising, 9, 42
- Cannell, 1963, A Study of the Reporting Visits to Doctors in the National Health Survey
- Deville, 1991, A Theory of Quota Surveys, Survey Methodology, 17, 163
- Ekholm, 1991, Weighting via Response Modeling in the Finnish Household Budget Survey, Journal of Official Statistics, 7, 1325
- Groves, 2004, Survey Methodology
- Luppes, 2000, A Content Analysis of Advance Letters from Expenditure Surveys of Seven Countries, Journal of Official Statistics, 11, 461
- Merkle, 2002, Nonresponse in Exit Polls: A Comprehensive Analysis, 243
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Putnam, R. D. (2007) · Scandinavian Political Studies · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9477.2007.00176.x · Cited by 4,027
Survey response rate levels and trends in organizational research
Baruch, Y., & Holtom, B. C. (2008) · Human Relations · doi:10.1177/0018726708094863 · Cited by 3,462
Contemporary Guidance for Stated Preference Studies
Johnston, R. J., Boyle, K., Adamowicz, W., Bennett, J., Brouwer, R., Cameron, T. A., Hanemann, W. M., Hanley, N. D., Ryan, M., Scarpa, R., et al. (2017) · Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists · doi:10.1086/691697 · Cited by 1,566
The Impact of Nonresponse Rates on Nonresponse Bias: A Meta-Analysis
Groves, R. M., & Peytcheva, E. (2008) · Public Opinion Quarterly · doi:10.1093/poq/nfn011 · Cited by 1,441
Self-citationStigma and Help Seeking for Mental Health Among College Students
Eisenberg, D., Downs, M. F., Golberstein, E., & Zivin, K. (2009) · Medical Care Research and Review · doi:10.1177/1077558709335173 · Cited by 1,193
Metadata
- Authors
- Groves, R. M.
- Affiliations
- U.S. National Science Foundation (US)
- Corresponding author
- Groves, Robert M.
- Venue
- Public Opinion Quarterly
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2006
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 646-675
- ISSN
- 0033-362X (ISSN-L)
- 1537-5331
- OpenAlex
- W2116971494
- Cited by
- 2,420
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 90 · 2025: 78 · 2024: 87 · 2023: 90 · 2022: 103 · 2021: 129 · 2020: 152 · 2019: 133 · 2018: 152 · 2017: 161 · 2016: 155 · 2015: 176 · 2014: 170 · 2013: 152 · 2012: 163
- FWCI
- 193.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Public Opinion Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Survey Sampling and Estimation Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Census and Population Estimation
- Keywords
- nonresponse bias, nonresponse rates, household surveys, response rate, auxiliary variables
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