PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Colleen Y. Colbert
AU  - Enrique Diaz-Guzman
AU  - John D. Myers
AU  - Alejandro C. Arroliga
TI  - How to interpret surveys in medical research: A practical approach
AID  - 10.3949/ccjm.80a.12122
DP  - 2013 Jul 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 423--435
VI  - 80
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/80/7/423.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/80/7/423.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2013 Jul 01; 80
AB  - Surveys are being used increasingly in health-care research to answer questions that may be difficult to answer using other methods. While surveys depend on data that may be influenced by self-report bias, they can be powerful tools as physicians seek to enhance the quality of care delivered or the health care systems they work in. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a basic framework for understanding survey research, with a goal of creating well-informed consumers. The importance of validation, including pretesting surveys before launch, will be discussed. Highlights from published surveys are offered as supplementary material.