Nonsampling errors and their implication for estimates of current cancer treatment using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Abstract

Survey nonsampling errors refer to the components of total survey error (TSE) that result from failures in data collection and processing procedures. Evaluating nonsampling errors can lead to a better understanding of their sources, which in turn, can inform survey inference and assist in the design of future surveys. Data collected via supplemental questionnaires can provide a means for evaluating nonsampling errors because it may provide additional information on survey nonrespondents and/or measurements of the same concept over repeated trials on the same sampling unit. We used a supplemental questionnaire administered to cancer survivors to explore potential nonsampling errors, focusing primarily on nonresponse and measurement/specification errors. We discuss the implications of our findings in the context of the TSE paradigm and identify areas for future research.