One-time surveys

Not all surveillance questions warrant a multi-year prospective surveillance study. One-time surveys are available to investigators as a cost-effective tool to survey Canadian paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists on a one-time basis. CPSP one-time surveys collect meaningful medical/public health data and results can impact public health policy and medical management.

CPSP one-time surveys should be one single-sided page and should take no longer than three to five minutes to complete. Surveys ask paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists questions that they can easily answer or recall.

Completed survey questionnaires are analyzed by the investigators. Response rates vary from between 25% to 50%.

Survey questions can:

• Capture a signal (e.g., dangers of all-terrain vehicles or teething necklaces worn by babies and infants)
• Identify how frequently a condition is seen by paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists (e.g., travel-related illnesses in children)
• Address an emerging public health concern (e.g., injuries and illnesses related to vaping products or from exposure to liquid detergent capsules)
• Justify the need for a full multi-year study (e.g., lap-belt syndrome, international adoption)
• Demonstrate the availability of treatment options and barriers to treatment (e.g., neonatal abstinence syndrome, neonatal pulse oximetry screening)
• Document the need for additional information and management guidelines to ensure the best treatment for children and youth (e.g., palliative care, vaccine hesitancy).