Redesign Considerations for the 

National Survey on Drug Use and Health 

(NSDUH)

Michael Jones

WSS January 20, 2010
NSDUH Sample Design

• Annual household survey, since 1971

• Civilian noninstitutional pop., age 12+

• Representative nationally and in each State

– 3,600 interviews in “large” states; 900 in “small”

• Oversample age 12 to 25

• Zero, one or two persons can be selected in 

each HH
Approx. 75 

interviews per year 

in each region

NSDUH Sample Design: 

900 Regions
Marijuana Use in Past Month among Persons Aged 12 or 

Older, by Substate Region: Percentages, Annual Averages 

Based on 2004, 2005, and 2006 NSDUHs

Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
NSDUH Questionnaire Design and 

Administration

• Collect information on substance use and 

treatment, mental health, risk factors, various 

demographics

• Face to face, computer-assisted, selfadministered (ACASI)

• Questionnaire includes core and non-core 

components
Why Redesign?

• Update questionnaire and sample design to meet 

current data needs and measure new phenomena

– Are State and substate estimates still a priority?

– Are we collecting the most critical data?

– Prescription drug questions outdated; new drugs are abused 

now

• Implement better data collection and estimation 

methods

– List frame could produce substantial cost savings

– Current estimation methods are complex, costly

• Reduce cost to expected budget levels
Redesign Plan

• Assess data needs

• Methods research and development

– Explore various design alternatives in terms of cost and 

impact on data quality and analytic capability

– Assess impact on estimates, and whether redesign could 

be done with a split sample to “bridge” old and new 

estimates

– Field test promising data collection methods

• Present plan to leadership to gain acceptance

• Award contract for redesigned survey 
Assessing Data Needs

• Consult with data users

– State data users survey

– E-mail contacts with key data users 

– Seminars with SAMHSA leadership and staff 

– Expert consultant meetings
Prior Relevant Studies

• Mode/setting/context effects studies

– Effects can be large for sensitive data

• Validity Study (2000-2001)

– Hair, urine collected from 4,000 NSDUH respondents

– Showed feasibility, but questions remain as to how 

data can be used in statistical reports 

• Reliability Study (2006)

– Re-interviewed 3,000 NSDUH respondents

– Very good reliability for most variables

• Impact of incentives on reporting 

– Significant impact found in 2002

• Interviewer Effects Analysis

– Interviewer experience impacts respondent reporting 

of drug use
Methods Studies-Sampling

• USPS Frame Study

– Field test using frame constructed from residential mailing 

lists

• Sample Issues Study

– Determine optimal cluster sizes

– Assess impact of changing sampling rates for demographic 

and geographic groups

– Assess feasibility of interviewing kids under 12

• Investigation of Census/ACS Options

– Assess the use of the ACS for sampling, small area 

estimation, and weighting activities 

• Contact Materials Study

– Develop improved informational documents that 

respondents receive
Methods Studies- Estimation

• Imputation and Editing Evaluation

– Evaluating different methods to simplify 

procedures and reduce processing time

• Weighting Assessment

– Examining different predictor variables to 

improve weighting adjustments

• Small Area Estimation

– Studying ways to estimate change and trends 

more efficiently and evaluate the quality of 

substate estimates
Methods Studies-Questionnaire

• Questionnaire Structure Study 

– Test “ensemble” vs. “interleafed” format 

– Explore moving more questions to core

• Text-to-Speech Software Study

• Prescription Drug Module Redesign

– Update definitions for nonmedical use and therapeutic 

classes

– Incorporate drugs that have emerged since original design

– Move methamphetamine out of context of prescription 

drugs
Implementation Issues

• Uncertain budget/priorities 

• Preserving trends

– Old vs. new design

– After new design is implemented 

• Communication between survey design staff and 

senior management/decisionmakers
Where We Are & Where We 

Go From Here

• Some studies are completed

• Continue those studies not completed

• Make results public

• Consolidate and summarize all the information 

for policy makers

• Continue work with uncertain budget and 

priorities