TAMAKI EMI

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 bias; rather 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.

This study examines lifetime prevalence estimates of mental disorders among Asian Americans with a focus on differences by nativity, gender, and other relevant sociodemographic correlates. We analyze cross- sectional data from the National Latino and Asian American Study (Alegria et al., 2004), the first national epidemiological survey of Asian Americans that used a probability sample of household resident adults in the United States (N = 2,095). U.S. born Asian Americans are more likely to experience lifetime mood disorders, substance use disorders, and any mental disorders compared to immigrants. Lifetime substance use disorders are more likely to occur among men rather than women. Nativity and gender show joint associations with different mental disorders: U.S. born women are at the greatest risk for any mood disorders; U.S. born men are at the greatest risk for any substance use disorders; and immigrant women are at the lowest risk for substance use disorders compared to all other groups. Analysis of the sociodemographic correlates reveals that the youngest immigrant women showed significantly higher rates of any mood disorder compared to other immigrant women. In addition, among immigrant men, those with low household income are at a higher risk for mood disorders, and those who report fair/poor English proficiency have a higher prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders. This study provides documentation of prevalence differences in detailed mental health categories along salient axes of stratification among Asian Americans and provides a foundation for future research aimed at understanding the causes and correlates of mental health disparities.