What does CHIS mean in HEALTHCARE

The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is an ongoing program of health surveys that consistently collects information on health and health-related topics from a diverse range of California residents. CHIS data provide important information on the health of Californians, which can be used to uncover disparities in access to health care, assess changes in the overall population’s health status, and inform public health planning, policy development, and evaluation.

Data is collected every two years through a series of core interviews that collect information on adults, children, and adolescents. Additionally, special studies are conducted each year to obtain more detailed information about specific population groups or particular topics.

Questions cover diverse topics including parents' attitudes about child rearing; physical activity; cigarette smoking; alcohol consumption; breastfeeding; HIV testing; diabetes care; chronic conditions such as asthma and arthritis; access to medical care; immunization status; insurance coverage (including Medi-Cal or Healthy Families); employment status; education level; income level; housing type and cost burden; language spoken at home; racial/ethnic group membership and other demographic characteristics.

Data collection takes place over both landlines and cell phones, with interviewer visits into households where necessary. Participants are randomly selected adults, children/adolescents aged 0-17 years who reside in California's private households.

The length of the interview depends upon a variety of factors such as topic area being discussed or size of the household being interviewed but typically ranges from 30 minutes for an adult interview to 1 hour for a child/adolescent interview.

A computer assisted telephone interviewing system (CATI) is used for all interviews conducted by telephone while Computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) is utilized when face-to-face interviews are necessary. All responses are captured electronically using specialized software designed specifically for this purpose.

Yes! Participants receive $20 for completing their adult or adolescent interview. Children under the age of 12 receive a small gift at completion.

Potential participants are contacted directly via phone calls and mailings prior to beginning a survey study. In order to be eligible for participation one must meet criteria such as residence within California state lines as well as have certain demographic characteristics depending upon the population being studied.

No! Being asked questions about yourself doesn’t carry any risk at all – it’s completely voluntary and you can withdraw your participation at anytime without consequence.