Collecting genetic samples in population wide (panel) surveys: feasibility, nonresponse and selectivity

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

"Collecting biomarkers as part of general purpose surveys offers scientists - and social scientists in particular - the ability to study biosocial phenomena, e.g. the relation between genes and human behavior. The authors explore the feasibility of collecting buccal cells for genetic analyses with normal interviewers as part of a pretest for the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP) using a probability sample. They introduce a new non-invasive technique for collecting cell material for genetic analyses and test its quality. They found no technical difficulties in collecting the genetic material and almost all samples collected could be analyzed. However, one third of interviewers reported it was hard to convince panel members to participate. The 'biomarker wave' showed no reduction in response rate compared to the previous wave that included no biomarkers and the sample exhibited very little selectivity. The authors conclude that collecting cell material for genetic analyses with normal interviewers is feasible with no apparent same-wave attrition, though so far we cannot rule out attrition in subsequent waves." (author's abstract)

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• Alternative title: Sammlung genetischer Proben in bevölkerungsweiten Umfragen: Machbarkeit, Nonresponsivität und Selektivität
• ISSN: 1864-3361
• Extent: Seite(n): 121-126
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Survey Research Methods, 4(2)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie ; Medizin und Gesundheit ; Erhebungstechniken und Analysetechniken der Sozialwissenschaften ; Forschungsarten der Sozialforschung ; Medizin, Sozialmedizin ; Bundesrepublik Deutschland ; SOEP ; Genetik ; genetischer Test ; Test ; Qualität ; Vergleich ; Biologie ; soziale Faktoren ; Panel ; Methode ; Methodenforschung

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Schonlau, Matthias ; Reuter, Martin ; Schupp, Jürgen ; Montag, Christian ; Weber, Bernd ; Dohmen, Thomas ; Siegel, Nico A. ; Sunde, Uwe ; Wagner, Gert G. ; Falk, Armin
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Deutschland
• (when): 2010

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.18148/srm/2010.v4i2.3959