One-time surveys

As not all research questions warrant a complete study, the CPSP institutes one time survey questions. Available to investigators as a cost-effective, well-established epidemiological tool to survey Canadian paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists on a one time basis, survey questions can:

• Capture a signal; e.g., baby walkers, infant bath seats
• Identify the prevalence of a problem; e.g., travel-related illnesses in paediatrics
• Justify need for a complete study; e.g., lap-belt syndrome, international adoption
• Answer a specific emerging public health concern; e.g., renal stone disease associated with melamine-contaminated products
• Verify participants’ reactions to a drug warning; e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
• Document pre- and post-disease knowledge; e.g., acquired demyelinating syndromes of the CNS, and congenital cytomegalovirus infection
• Explore World Health Organization’s quality assurance criteria on acute flaccid paralysis
• Collect meaningful medical/public health data and possibly impact a change in public policy and medical management

Once approved by the Steering Committee, the one-time survey question is sent to all participants. Collected results are forwarded to the investigator for data analysis. As no reminder mechanism is in place for one-times surveys, response rates vary from between 25% and 50%.