4.0 Study Methodology
4.1 Study Population
4.2 Sampling and Mail-Out
4.3 ACNielsen Survey Methodology4.1 Study Population
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Figure 1 below is a schematic representation of the methodology for the female Vietnam veterans survey, target population and participation rates:
† As a mortality study has not been undertaken for female Vietnam veterans, there has been no attempt to match female Vietnam veterans on the Nominal Roll with the National Death Index. Consequently, the actual number of deceased female Vietnam veterans is not known.
4.2 Sampling and Mail-Out
There were difficulties in obtaining current addresses for female veterans as many had changed their surnames since their service in Vietnam. This occurred most frequently in the cases of women who married, but was also applicable to entertainers who registered under their stage names for employment in Vietnam.
A series of advertisements announcing the Health Study were run in the national press. Veterans who contacted DVA as a result were added to address lists compiled by the Department and Ex-Service Organisations. The lists were used to locate female Vietnam veterans for the purposes of this study.
At the mailing out stage of the survey, priority was given to surveying all locatable female Vietnam veterans rather than resolving possible name duplications on the mailing list. The removal of duplicate names from the mailing list and the completed questionnaires database was dealt with at the data collection phase.
Of the 484 female Vietnam veterans on the Nominal Roll 278 were located. A copy of the relevant questionnaire was posted to each of these female Vietnam veterans.
Each questionnaire contained an information cover sheet, which detailed the purpose of the study and listed a Freecall non-departmental Helpline to deal with queries or problems during the questionnaire phase of the study.
From the 278 questionnaires that were posted, 223 completed questionnaires were returned. There were three respondents who wrote in to say that they were not Vietnam veterans, these responses were classified as being out of scope of the survey. Thus the response rate for the female Vietnam veterans survey was 81% (calculated from 223 responses out of a possible 275).
4.3 ACNielsen Survey Methodology
The ACNeilsen survey methodology is detailed in Appendix C1. In summary it entailed:
- Mail-out of the questionnaire to all located female Vietnam veterans. The questionnaire included an information cover sheet, a reply paid envelope for mail-back, and a signed letter from the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and ESO representatives encouraging Vietnam veterans to complete and return the questionnaire.
- A reminder mail-out to female Vietnam veterans who did not respond was sent approximately three weeks after the first mail-out.
- Approximately four weeks after the first reminder, a second reminder mail-out was sent to female Vietnam veterans who had not responded. This included another copy of the questionnaire (with an identical bar code).
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