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Oregon Health Authority

Oregon Adult Health Study

Welcome to the Oregon Adult Health Study

An effort to better understand the health experiences and needs of adults in each region of the state


The Oregon Adult Health Study is gathering information about the health of people from communities across the state. The results will help us better understand the support and health services needed by people in each region of the state.

  • To make sure all different types of people and communities in Oregon are represented  in the study results, only households that were randomly selected and received a letter are eligible to participate in the study.
  • We ask you to respond over the internet because it saves cost, and people have indicated they feel more comfortable sharing information in an online study , rather than receiving an unexpected telephone call and answering health-related questions over the phone. 
  • The adult in the household with the most recent birthday is the person who should answer the study questions. 
  • To log in to the study, you'll need the Access Code on the letter that was sent to your household.

Your Privacy

The confidentiality of your information is very important to us. Study results are stored on secure servers with restricted access to ensure your privacy. Your name is not collected as part of the study. Addresses are removed from studies answers. Results are reported only combined for groups of people, so individual answers cannot be identified. You can also skip any question that you don’t want to answer.  

Questions

If you have questions about the study, please email: BRFSS.Ask@odhsoha.oregon.gov

Thank you very much for helping us improve health services throughout Oregon.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Oregon Public Health Study? How will the study results be used?

The Oregon Public Health Study will help the Oregon Health Authority better understand the types of programs and services needed throughout the state to promote the health of Oregonians. Results will be used to inform Oregon public health policies and programs to:

  • Reduce preventable diseases, such as obesity and heart disease, among Oregonians;
  • Improve access to needed health programs and services throughout Oregon; and
  • Achieve health equity by reducing health disparities among Oregon populations, including underrepresented communities and communities of color.
Why should I participate?
To get information that accurately represents the entire state, we need to hear from all different types of people form all counties in Oregon. This will help us direct resources to programs and services that are most needed in your community.

Do I have to answer the questions?
No, your participation is voluntary, but we are very interested in what you have to say. You represent many households like yours, so your input will be very helpful to us. Your answers are confidential, and you can select "Not sure" or skip any question you don't want to answer.

Who conducts the study?
Oregon Health Authority directs the study. Our contractor, ICF, Inc., sends the mailings and collects the information via the online study and the paper questionnaire.

Who is ICF, Inc.?
For more than 40 years, ICF, Inc. has done studies with federal, state, and local agencies, universities, nonprofits, and commercial organizations in the US. The experts at ICF have vast experience with address-based web and mail studies. Their project managers, statisticians, methodologists, and data managers are helping to improve the Oregon Adult Health Study response rates in a cost-effective way, so that we can reach our vision of a healthy Oregon.

How do I know my information is kept private?
The confidentiality of your information is extremely important to us. Study results are stored on secure servers with restricted access to ensure your privacy. Your name is not collected as part of the study. Addresses are removed from study answers. Results are only reported for combined groups of people, so individual answers cannot be identified. You can also skip any question that you don't want to answer.

How did you get my address?
Your address was randomly chosen from all possible addresses in your area. We used a scientific process to randomly choose study participants to represent the state.

Will my answers affect my OHP/SNAP/TANF benefits?
No. None of your benefits will be affected by participating in the study. Your name is not collected at any time, your address and web address are not associated with your responses, and any information in your answers that may identify you will be kept confidential.

What kind of questions do you ask?
We ask about a variety of topics that impact individuals' health and well-being, including:
  • Physical, mental, and emotional health;
  • Health insurance coverage and doctor and dentist visits;
  • Chronic health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and cancer; and
  • Behaviors that can affect health, such as tobacco use, adverse childhood experiences, and gambling.

To allow us to look at differences in health among different groups of people and help promote health equity, we ask demographic questions about:
  • Age;
  • Household income, education, and employment status;
  • Disability;
  • Gender identity;
  • Sexual orientation; and
  • Race and ethnicity.

How long do the questions take to answer?
This depends a little on whether you are answering online or on paper. For most people, the study will take less than 20 minutes to complete in either format.

How many people will be part of the study?
We are contacting several thousand people from around the state, and our goal is to hear from about 3,500 households. This will help us to better understand health needs and experiences of Oregon adults from different age groups, genders, rural or urban areas, and other meaningful groups of people.

Why are you asking for the adult in the household with the most recent birthday? Why can't any adult in the household answer the study?
We really need to hear from as many different people as possible to understand the health issues that face Oregon adults. As part of assuring that we hear from different types of people, we randomly select a person in the household to answer the questions. Using the "most recent birthday" method is part of the scientific design of the study.

The person with the most recent birthday changed since the first letter you sent. Who should answer the study questions?
If the original person did not start to answer the questions, it is fine to have the person who now has the most recent birthday answer the questions.

The person with the most recent birthday doesn't want to participate. Can someone else answer the questions instead?
Please encourage this person to participate. If this person does not participate, unfortunately, we cannot replace them with someone else from the household.

The person with the most recent birthday just moved out of our house. Should we try to get them to take the study?
No. Please have the adult with the most recent birthday among those who currently live in your home answer the study questions.

How do I get a copy of the results from this study?
Results will be posted here when the study is completed. This site is www.Oregon.gov/HealthyAdults. 

Is the Oregon Adult Health Study related to the Oregon Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)?
The Oregon BRFSS is conducted in collaboration with CDC. The Oregon Adult Health Study is conducted independently by Oregon Health Authority. Some of the questions are the same as those on the Oregon BRFSS, and the studies responses will ultimately be weighted and combined with annual Oregon BRFSS study results.