Do low survey response rates bias results? Evidence from Japan

BACKGROUND In developed countries, response rates have dropped to such low levels that many in the population field question whether the data can provide unbiased results. OBJECTIVE The paper uses three Japanese surveys conducted in the 2000s to ask whether low survey response rates bias results. A secondary objective is to bring results reported in the survey response literature to the attention of the demographic research community. METHODS Using a longitudinal survey as well as paradata from a cross-sectional survey, a variety of statistical techniques (chi square, analysis of variance (ANOVA), logistic regression, ordered probit or ordinary least squares regression (OLS), as appropriate) are used to examine response-rate bias. RESULTS Evidence of response-rate bias is found for the univariate distributions of some demographic characteristics, behaviors, and attitudinal items. But when examining relationships between variables in a multivariate analysis, controlling for a variety of background variables, for most dependent variables we do not find evidence of bias from low response rates. CONCLUSIONS Our results are consistent with results reported in the econometric and survey research literatures. Low response rates need not necessarily lead to biased results. Bias is more likely to be present when examining a simple univariate distribution than when examining the relationship between variables in a multivariate model. COMMENTS The results have two implications. First, demographers should not presume the presence or absence of low response-rate biasrather they should test for it in the context of a specific substantive analysis. Second, demographers should lobby data gatherers to collect as much paradata as possible so that rigorous tests for low response-rate bias are possible

看護基礎教育にコミュニティ・オブ・プラクティスの考えを採り入れた「学びのグループゼミ」での学生の学び

　看護基礎教育カリキュラムの中に，学生がコミュニティを育みながら，看護実践を学び合えるしかけ（授業「学びのグループゼミ」）を組み入れた．本研究の目的は，「学びのグループゼミ」において学生の学習がどのように促進されたか，そのプロセスを明らかにすることである．2016 年度に「学びのグループゼミ」を受講した学生178 人（2 年生86 人，1 年生92 人）のうち，研究参加に同意が得られた学生162 人のなかから，同意が得られた26 名にインタビューを実施し，質的に分析を行った.　本研究の結果，「学びのグループゼミ」で学生は，以下1．～ 3．を学んでいたことが明らかになった．1．2 年生コアメンバーは，グループメンバーが参加しやすい＜場を創るために試行錯誤する＞，＜グループの変化をとらえる＞，＜グループの成長の役に立てたことを，自身の成長ととらえる＞という学びをしていた．2．2 年生アクティブグループメンバーと周辺グループメンバーは，グループメンバーを＜場に馴染ませ，相互交流を促進する＞，＜自らの実習経験を伝える＞ことを通してグループの役に立てていることを認識し，自らの＜実習経験を共有し，問い直す＞という学びをしていた．3．1 年生コアメンバーとアクティブグループメンバー・周辺グループメンバーは，＜学びのグループゼミへの戸惑いを感じつつ，参加のしかたを模索する＞＜緊張と戸惑いを乗り越え，学びのグループゼミで安心感と充実感を得る＞，＜ 2 年生と自身の体験を重ね合わせ，思考を広げる＞，＜教えられる対象としてだけではない，グループ内での自らの存在価値を見出す＞という学びをしていた．　「学びのグループゼミ」において学生の学びを促進した重要な相互作用として，次の2 点が考察できた．1 点目は，場を創るために試行錯誤したり，グループメンバーを場に馴染ませたり，経験を伝えるなどすることを通して，安心できる場を創ることを学んでいたこと．2 点目は，実習経験を問い直したり，学びのグループにおける存在価値を自ら見出したりすることによって，グループやグループメンバーの役に立てていることを学んでいたことである．学生が共同参加することで学習が促進するようなしかけを看護基礎教育カリキュラムに設けることができれば，知識提供型の学習とは異なる学習が促進される可能性が示唆された

The Gendered Effects of Marriage on Health in Japan: Structure, Role Expectations, and Outcomes

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2013One of the most robust findings in health literature is the association between marital status and health. A growing body of research in the United States has shown that married individuals are healthier than their single counterparts. The gender difference in the health benefit of marriage, however, is still much debated. While some argue that marriage is more important for men's health than women's, others find no gender difference in the positive effect of marriage. This dissertation uses data from Japan, where gender norms are still traditional, to investigate how marriage is associated with men's and women's health. In particular, I argue that Japan's strong gendered division of labor is an important structural mechanism that determines more work hours for married men, leading to different health consequences for men and women. While married women are expected to have a better health status by reducing their work hours following marriage, married men are less likely to reap this same benefit since they tend to put in longer work hours than married women. I use the first wave of the Japanese Life Course Panel Survey (JLPS 2007), a nationally representative sample of men and women aged 20 to 40 years, to test hypotheses regarding the relationships among gender, marriage, and health. Taken together, my results show that the gendered relationships between marriage and health are more nuanced than previous literature has suggested. While marriage is generally associated with better overall health and better mental health for men and women, the magnitude of the association is larger for women than for men. Furthermore, this research finds gender differences in the structural mechanisms linking marriage and health and in the impact of combining different roles on health. More specifically, my results show that being out of the labor force partially explains the health benefit of marriage for women but not for men, and combining marriage and employment reduces women's health but not men's. This study also finds that employment explains the frequent drinking of currently-married men compared to never-married men, suggesting the cultural contingency of the meaning of frequent alcohol consumption in Japan

Optical Myography-Based Sensing Methodology of Application of Random Loads to Muscles during Hand-Gripping Training

Hand-gripping training is important for improving the fundamental functions of human physical activity. Bernstein’s idea of “repetition without repetition” suggests that motor control function should be trained under changing states. The randomness level of load should be visualized for self-administered screening when repeating various training tasks under changing states. This study aims to develop a sensing methodology of random loads applied to both the agonist and antagonist skeletal muscles when performing physical tasks. We assumed that the time-variability and periodicity of the applied load appear in the time-series feature of muscle deformation data. In the experiment, 14 participants conducted the gripping tasks with a gripper, ball, balloon, Palm clenching, and paper. Crumpling pieces of paper (paper exercise) involves randomness because the resistance force of the paper changes depending on the shape and layers of the paper. Optical myography during gripping tasks was measured, and time-series features were analyzed. As a result, our system could detect the random movement of muscles during training

Mind the Tap: Assessing Foot-Taps for Interacting with Head-Mounted Displays

From voice commands and air taps to touch gestures on frames: Various techniques for interacting with head-mounted displays (HMDs) have been proposed. While these techniques have both benefits and drawbacks dependent on the current situation of the user, research on interacting with HMDs has not concluded yet. In this paper, we add to the body of research on interacting with HMDs by exploring foot-tapping as an input modality. Through two controlled experiments with a total of 36 participants, we first explore direct interaction with interfaces that are displayed on the floor and require the user to look down to interact. Secondly, we investigate indirect interaction with interfaces that, although operated by the user's feet, are always visible as they are floating in front of the user. Based on the results of the two experiments, we provide design recommendations for direct and indirect foot-based user interfaces

Gait Phase Detection Based on Muscle Deformation with Static Standing-Based Calibration

Gait phase detection, which detects foot-contact and foot-off states during walking, is important for various applications, such as synchronous robotic assistance and health monitoring. Gait phase detection systems have been proposed with various wearable devices, sensing inertial, electromyography, or force myography information. In this paper, we present a novel gait phase detection system with static standing-based calibration using muscle deformation information. The gait phase detection algorithm can be calibrated within a short time using muscle deformation data by standing in several postures; it is not necessary to collect data while walking for calibration. A logistic regression algorithm is used as the machine learning algorithm, and the probability output is adjusted based on the angular velocity of the sensor. An experiment is performed with 10 subjects, and the detection accuracy of foot-contact and foot-off states is evaluated using video data for each subject. The median accuracy is approximately 90% during walking based on calibration for 60 s, which shows the feasibility of the static standing-based calibration method using muscle deformation information for foot-contact and foot-off state detection

Evaluation of an immunochromatography rapid diagnosis kit for detection of chikungunya virus antigen in India, a dengue-endemic country

Abstract Background Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) are arboviruses that share the same Aedes mosquito vector, and there is much overlap in endemic areas. In India, co-infection with both viruses is often reported. Clinical manifestations of Chikungunya fever is often confused with dengue fever because clinical symptoms of both infections are similar. It is, therefore, difficult to differentiate from those of other febrile illnesses, especially dengue fever. We previously developed a CHIKV antigen detection immunochromatography (IC) rapid diagnosis kit [1]. The current study examined the efficacy of previously mentioned IC kit in India, a dengue-endemic country. Methods Sera from 104 CHIKV-positive (by qRT-PCR) and/or IgM-positive (ELISA) subjects collected in 2016, were examined. Fifteen samples from individuals with CHIKV-negative/DENV-positive and 4 samples from healthy individuals were also examined. Of the 104 CHIKV-positive sera, 20 were co-infected with DENV. Results The sensitivity, specificity and overall agreement of the IC assay were 93.7, 95.5 and 94.3%, respectively, using qRT-PCR as a gold standard. Also, there was a strong, statistically significant positive correlation between the IC kit device score and the CHIKV RNA copy number. The IC kit detected CHIKV antigen even in DENV-co-infected patient sera and did not cross-react with DENV NS1-positive/CHIKV-negative samples. Conclusions The results suggest that the IC kit is useful for rapid diagnosis of CHIKV in endemic areas in which both CHIKV and DENV are circulating