Survey Instruments

HINTS 2012 (Cycle 1) Survey Materials

HINTS 4 (Cycle 1) data were collected from October 2011 through February 2012. The sample design consisted of a single-mode mail survey, with two methods of respondent selection: the “All Adult” method and the “Next Birthday” method. The sampling consisted of a two-stage stratified sample of addresses used by Marketing Systems Group (MSG).

In the All Adult method, two questionnaires were sent with each mailing, where all adults residing in a sampled household were asked to complete the questionnaire. In the next birthday method, one questionnaire was sent with each mailing so that the adult who would have the next birthday in the sampled household was asked to complete the questionnaire. In an effort to increase response rates from households who received early mailings but did not complete the full survey instrument, a shortened (Reduced-content) version of the questionnaire was sent in the third and fourth mailings. The Full-content instrument has 205 items while the Reduced-content instrument contains 134 items. Items contained in the Reduced-content instrument are considered “core” to HINTS.

Data were collected from 3,959 respondents.

Refer to the HINTS 4 Cycle 1 Methodology Report for more information about the design, testing, and implementation of the HINTS 4 Cycle 1 survey. You may also download the complete dataset.

All-Adult, Full-content, English Version: PDF (777 KB)
All-Adult, Reduced-content, English Version: PDF (716 KB)
Next-Birthday, Full-content, English Version: PDF (779 KB)
Next-Birthday, Reduced-content, English Version: PDF (531 KB)
Next-Birthday, Full-content, Spanish Version: PDF (715 KB)
Next-Birthday, Reduced-content, Spanish Version: PDF (590 KB)

HINTS Puerto Rico 2009

The University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Puerto Rico Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute, implemented HINTS in Puerto Rico in 2009. A total of 639 (603 complete and 36 partially complete) interviews were conducted. Documentation is available to assist with analyzing the HINTS Puerto Rico data, including instructions on how to combine the dataset with HINTS 2007 for comparisons.

HINTS Puerto Rico 2009 Extended Interview Instrument (Spanish): PDF (319 KB)
English language full instrument not available.

HINTS Items Across Years

This sortable spreadsheet lists all HINTS items found in HINTS 2003, 2005, and 2007. It can be used to identify comparability of items across years and includes other meta-data about the items (e.g., inclusion criteria, categories).

HINTS Items Across Years: XLS | CSV

HINTS 2007 Survey Materials

HINTS 2007 data were collected from January 2008 through May 2008. The sample design for HINTS 2007 consisted of two samples with each sample selected from a separate sample frame. One sample was drawn as a Random Digit Dial telephone survey, using a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) format. The CATI survey for HINTS 2007 was conducted using the same methodology as HINTS 2005 and 2003. Survey administration averaged 30 minutes per respondent. Data were collected from 4,092 respondents via CATI.

The second national random sample was selected from a list of addresses from the United States Postal Service administrative records. After the CATI instrument was modified to produce a printed questionnaire, the survey and a cover letter were sent to the address sample. All adults at each sampled address were asked to fill out the questionnaire and return it in a postage-paid envelope. Data were collected from 3,582 respondents via mail.

See the Final Report below for more information about the design, testing, and implementation of the HINTS 2007 survey. You may also download the complete datasets.

HINTS 2007 Final Report: PDF (1 MB)
HINTS 2007 Mail Instrument: PDF (404 KB)
HINTS 2007 CATI Instrument (English) PDF (445 KB)
HINTS 2007 CATI Instrument (Spanish) PDF (450 KB)

HINTS 2005 Survey Materials

HINTS 2005 data were collected from February 2005 through August 2005. HINTS 2005 was fielded as a Random Digit Dial telephone survey, using a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) format to accommodate complex skip-patterns. Data collection procedures were identical to HINTS 2003. Survey administration averaged 30 minutes per respondent. Data were collected from 5,586 respondents. Materials describing the 2005 administration of the survey are available below. See the Final Report below for more information about the design, testing, and implementation of the HINTS 2005 survey. You may also download the complete datasets.

HINTS 2005 Final Report: PDF (208 KB)
HINTS 2005 Main Survey Instrument (English): PDF (510 KB)
HINTS 2005 Main Survey Instrument (Spanish): PDF (475 KB)

HINTS 2003 Survey Materials

The first collection of HINTS data was conducted from October 2002 to April 2003. This initial data collection effort was fielded as a Random Digit Dial telephone survey, using a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) format to accommodate complex skip-patterns. Telephone numbers were generated at random from a sampling frame of all telephone exchanges throughout the 50 United States. Numbers were submitted to a telephone matching service to remove nonresidential numbers, where feasible, before calling. Screening calls were then placed to households. Interviewers followed an on-screen sampling algorithm to select a single sampled person from all adults 18 years and older in the household. Survey administration averaged 30 minutes per respondent. Data were collected from 6,369 respondents. See the Final Report link below for more information about the design, testing, and implementation of the HINTS 2003 survey.

Materials describing the first administration of the survey are available for download. You may also download the complete datasets.

HINTS 2003 Final Report: PDF (1 MB)
HINTS 2003 Survey Instrument (English): PDF (448 KB)
HINTS 2003 Survey Instrument (Spanish): PDF (451 KB)

Learn about mode, trends and more in the HINTS FAQ.