Managing Web-Based Survey Fraud in Public Health Research
Author Information
Author(s): Craig Leslie S, Evans Christina L, Taylor Brittany D, Patterson Jace, Whitfield Kaleb, Hill Mekhi, Nwagwu Michelle, Mubasher Mohamed, Bednarczyk Robert A, McCray Gail G, Gaddis Cheryl L R, Taylor Natasha, Thompson Emily, Douglas Ursula, Latimer Saundra K, Spivey Sedessie G, Henry Akintobi Tabia, Quarells Rakale Collins
Primary Institution: Morehouse School of Medicine
Hypothesis
This study aims to contribute to an evolving evidence base on data integrity threats associated with web-based survey research.
Conclusion
The study found that implementing additional security tools during web-based surveys improved the detection and management of survey fraud.
Supporting Evidence
- Suspicious activity during Survey I led to the implementation of additional security tools in Survey II.
- 42.2% of responses from Survey I were retained for analysis compared to 50.1% from Survey II.
- Daily monitoring of survey responses was essential for detecting unusual patterns.
- Use of hidden questions and CAPTCHA improved the quality of responses in Survey II.
- Community engagement was crucial for effective participant recruitment.
Takeaway
This study shows that online surveys can be tricked by fake responses, but using special tools can help keep the data real and useful.
Methodology
The study used web-based surveys administered through Qualtrics, with various security measures to detect and exclude fraudulent responses.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in participant recruitment and data collection methods may affect the generalizability of the results.
Limitations
Not all authentication tools were implemented in both survey waves, which may affect the robustness of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Participants were adults (18 years and older) of Black or African American race or Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, primarily from Georgia.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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