Depression Susceptibility Genes and Networks
Client: Stanford University
Funded by: National Institute of Mental Health, NIH
Period of Performance: September 2009 to August 2010
Project Description: Research indicates that gene differences are a factor in causing depression. This objective of this NIH-funded study is to identify possible DNA and RNA differences between individuals with and without a history of depression. Identification of such genetic differences might make it possible to find better treatments for depression in the future.
In support of this project, KN administered an extensive battery of items for the assessment of mental health and collected blood specimens for individuals who met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) (“cases”) and a demographically matched sample of individuals who report no history of MDD (“controls”). KN worked with study investigators to identify and implement protocols for the safeguarding of the privacy and informed consent rights of human subjects to protect participants throughout the screening and enrollment process, in-home specimen collection, and final telephone interviewing.
Recruiting exclusively from our probability-based online panel, KnowledgePanel®, resulted in blood specimen collection from more than 1,300 research subjects over the 12 month study period. Overall, 37% of qualified respondents consented to participate in the full study; of those, 72% followed through with the blood collection; and of those 94% participated in the final telephone interview.
The study’s investigators are currently carrying out the molecular genetic aspects of the study and expect to have results in 2012.
Why KN: Stanford choose Knowledge Networks as a partner on this important project because of KnowledgePanel® size, national coverage, and basis in probability-sampling, ensuring a large, representative, and diverse sample of cases and controls. Further, Knowledge Networks creates relationships of trust with panel members which result in industry high rates of cooperation, including for demanding tasks like specimen collection. “We had a very positive experience working with KN on this project,” reported the Principal Investigator, Douglas F. Levinson, M.D., a Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford. “The recruitment was completed on time and achieved our targets. The KN staff were great to work with and they were very professional throughout. We could not have completed this study at the same budget without KN.”
2010 Survey of Teen and Parent Attitudes on Substance Abuse
Client: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University
Period of Performance: March-April, 2010
Project Description: Since 1995, CASA has been conducting an annual survey of teens and their parents to better understand factors that increase or decrease the likelihood of teen substance abuse. The data from this research are used to improve the nation's ability to help teens grow up drug free. The 2010 survey continued the focus on identifying factors that contribute to teens' risk of smoking, drinking and using illegal and prescription drugs.
Knowledge Networks interviewed 1,055 teens and 456 of their parents from the probability-based KnowledgePanel. The survey, designed and analyzed by CASA, asked teens their views and experiences with their home and school environment, relationship with parents, activities at school and outside of school, teen sexual activity, attitudes about and experiences with tobacco, alcohol, and drug use.
To meet IRB requirements for the protection of human subjects, prior parental permission was obtained for all teens interviewed. Even with this sensitive topic and the need to obtain parental consent and teen assent, the cooperation rate was 6 percent among parents and 54 percent among teens.
This survey revealed nearly half (46 percent) of public school students report that there are gangs or students who consider themselves to be part of a gang in their school. Compared to teens in schools without gangs, those in schools that have gangs are nearly twice as likely to report that drugs are used, kept or sold on their school grounds (30 percent vs. 58 percent). Results from this survey were discussed on C-SPAN, CNN, and Business Week among, among other sources. The full report can be accessed here: http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/publications_reports.aspx
Why KN: After 14 years of conducting this survey by telephone, CASA turned to Knowledge Networks in response to the changing survey environment. The growth of cell-phone only households and the increased use of call-screening devices lead CASA to be concerned about the potential limitations of the RDD sample frame. Knowledge Networks overcomes these limitations by administering surveys on-line to members of our nationally representative research panel, KnowledgePanel. Members of KnowledgePanel are recruited using addressed-based sampling, so cell-phone only households are included. When a household that is sampled does not have internet access, KN equips the household with a laptop and connection. With this methodology, 97 percent of non-institutionalized households in the U.S. are covered in the KnowledgePanel sample frame. As the costs of RDD telephone research escalate, particularly for low prevalence populations, Knowledge Networks' ability to target households that contain a teenager provided a cost effective and rapid way for CASA to reach a nationally-representative sample of teens and their parents.
Survey of People Who Purchase Their Own Insurance
Client: Kaiser Family Foundation, Public Opinion and Survey Research Program
Period of Performance: March 19 to April 2, 2010
Project Description: In order to better understand the attitudes, opinions, and experiences of the millions of Americans who have health insurance coverage through the individual market, the Kaiser Family Foundation interviewed a random representative sample of people who purchase their own insurance using KnowledgePanel®.
In early 2010, Knowledge Networks (KN) interviewed 1,038 people aged 18-64 who purchase their own health coverage. The overall cooperation rate was 71% among KnowledgePanel members invited to take the survey. The survey, designed and analyzed by the Kaiser Family Foundation, asked respondents their views and experiences with non-group coverage, including any issues facing policyholders with pre-existing conditions.
This survey provided insight into the experiences of non-group market policyholders and found that most (77%) had faced a premium increase, averaging 20%. Nearly half (47%) of non-group policyholders said that they or someone covered by their policy have what could be considered a pre-existing condition. This group is more likely than other policyholders to report having difficulty finding a plan to meet their needs and to be worried about losing coverage should they become seriously ill.
Results from this survey were discussed in The New York Times, by the Associated Press, and on the White House Blog, among other news sources. The full report can be accessed here: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/8077.cfm.
Why KN: The Kaiser Family Foundation chose Knowledge Networks to conduct this research due to the challenge of reaching a random representative national sample of individual market policy holders. As only about 5% of the nonelderly have private non-group health coverage, using another probability-based methodology, such as an RDD telephone survey, would have been cost prohibitive and time consuming. As KN has pre-identified current health care coverage for most panelists, we were able to efficiently and affordably create a large random sample of these policyholders.
