DOI: 10.6073/pasta/7921c43c7d03a8d9a1b70dcc67ed6a2c
title: GIS Shapefile - BES Telephone Survey geocoded for Baltimore County.  XY positions file.

description: Tags
      
          survey, environmental behaviors, lifestyle, status, PRIZM, Baltimore Ecosystem Study, LTER, BES
      
      
      
      
          Summary
      
      
          BES Research, Applications, and Education
      
      
          Description
      
      
          XY Positions for BES telephone survey. The BES Household Survey 2003 is a telephone survey of metropolitan Baltimore residents consisting of 29 questions. The survey research firm, Hollander, Cohen, and McBride conducted the survey, asking respondents questions about their outdoor recreation activities, watershed knowledge, environmental behavior, neighborhood characteristics and quality of life, lawn maintenance, satisfaction with life, neighborhood, and the environment, and demographic information. The data from each respondent is also associated with a PRIZM� classification, census block group, and latitude-longitude. PRIZM� classifications categorize the American population using Census data, market research surveys, public opinion polls, and point-of-purchase receipts. The PRIZM� classification is spatially explicit allowing the survey data to be viewed and analyzed spatially and allowing specific neighborhood types to be identified and compared based on the survey data. The census block group and latitude-longitude data also allow us additional methods of presenting and analyzing the data spatially. 
      
      
          The household survey is part of the core data collection of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study to classify and characterize social and ecological dimensions of neighborhoods (patches) over time and across space. This survey is linked to other core data including US Census data, remotely-sensed data, and field data collection, including the BES DemSoc Field Observation Survey. 
      
      
      
          The BES 2003 telephone survey was conducted by Hollander, Cohen, and McBride from September 1-30, 2003. The sample was obtained from the professional sampling firm Claritas, in order that their "PRIZM" encoding would be appended to each piece of sample (telephone number) supplied. Mailing addresses were also obtained so that a postcard could be sent in advance of interviewers calling. The postcard briefly informed potential respondents about the survey, who was conducting it, and that they might receive a phone call in the next few weeks. A stratified sampling method was used to obtain between 50 - 150 respondents in each of the 15 main PRIZM classifications. This allows direct comparison of PRIZM classifications. Analysis of the data for the general metropolitan Baltimore area must be weighted to match the population proportions normally found in the region. They obtained a total of 9000 telephone numbers in the sample. All 9,000 numbers were dialed but contact was only made on 4,880. 1508 completed an interview, 2524 refused immediately, 147 broke off/incomplete, 84 respondents had moved and were no longer in the correct location, and a qualified respondent was not available on 617 calls. This resulted in a response rate of 36.1% compared with a response rate of 28.2% in 2000. The CATI software (Computer Assisted Terminal Interviewing) randomized the random sample supplied, and was programmed for at least 3 attempted callbacks per number, with emphasis on pulling available callback sample prior to accessing uncalled numbers. Calling was conducted only during evening and weekend hours, when most head of households are home. The use of CATI facilitated stratified sampling on PRIZM classifications, centralized data collection, standardized interviewer training, and reduced the overall cost of primary data collection. Additionally, to reduce respondent burden, the questionnaire was revised to be concise, easy to understand, minimize the use of open-ended responses, and require an average of 15 minutes to complete. 
      
      
          The household survey is part of the core data collection of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study to classify and characterize social and ecological dimensions of neighborhoods (patches) over time and across space. This survey is linked to other core data, including US Census data, remotely-sensed data, and field data collection, including the BES DemSoc Field Observation Survey. 
      
      
          Additional documentation of this database is attached to this metadata and includes 4 documents, 1) the telephone survey, 2) documentation of the telephone survey, 3) metadata for the telephone survey, and 4) a description of the attribute data in the BES survey 2003 survey.
      
      
          This database was created by joining the GDT geographic database of US Census Block Group geographies for the Baltimore Metropolitan Statisticsal Area (MSA), with the Claritas PRIZM database, 2003, of unique classifications of each Census Block Group, and the unique PRIZM code for each respondent from the BES Household Telephone Survey, 2003. The GDT database is preferred and used because of its higher spatial accuracy than other databases describing US Census geographies, including those provided by the US Census. This database includes data only for environmental behaviors: How likely would you be to take part in the following efforts to improve and maintain the quality of the watersheds near where you live, very unlikely, somewhat unlikely, somewhat likely, very likely?  A) pay increased recreation or other usage fees, b) support a modest (small) tax increase to be used for water quality issues, c) support legislation to require all developments be set back from streams and flood plains, and d) volunteer to work on cleanup and/or pollution patrols."
      
      
          The response is the percentage of respondents in that Prizm class who score "somewhat likely" or "very likely" on an index across all four of the environmental behavior questions.
      
      
          Credits
      
      
          Publications using data from the Baltimore Ecosystem Study Website shall include the following paragraph: Some data used in this publication was obtained by scientists of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study; this publication has not been reviewed by those scientists. The Baltimore Ecosystem Study operated and maintained by the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York. Rules for Use of the Data: As a condition for access to data provided by researchers of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, I agree to abide by the following: A. I agree to notify the Baltimore Ecosystem Study scientists who gathered data if I would like to use those data in any publication. I acknowledge that these data were gathered by Baltimore Ecosystem Study scientists because they had already perceived the importance of these data for a variety of scientific and societal issues. I will provide them with formal recognition that, at their discretion, may include co-authorship or acknowledgements on publications. B. I realize that the researchers who gathered these data may be using them for scientific analyses, papers or publications that are currently planned or in preparation, and that such activities have precedence over any that I might wish to prepare. In this case, my preparation of any work may be delayed, at the option of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study researchers involved, until their work is completed. C. Because it may be possible to misinterpret a data set if it is taken out of context, I will seek the assistance and opinion of those Baltimore Ecosystem Study researchers involved in the design of a study and the collection of the data as I analyze the data. Moreover, I realize that this computer data set is not complete, and it may contain errors. The complete data set includes extensive written documentation, which should be referenced to reduce the chance of errors in data and errors of interpretation
      
      
          Use limitations
      
      
          none
      
      
          Extent
      
      
      
          West  -76.862916    East  -76.348105 
      
          North  39.719009    South  39.220513