Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS): Technical Report 2015
Detailed information on the fieldwork and data processing for the 2015 Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS).
Limitations of the data
- As with any survey, there are a number of limitations of the data. These include those already mentioned earlier in this report:
- The data are from a sample of the population as opposed to a census and, therefore, subject to sampling error
- Non-response of schools, classes and pupils
- Item non-response
There are other limitations that have not already been covered in detail. These include:
- The self-report nature of the results. As with all surveys,
the results can only tell us what respondents say that they do,
think or feel. We have to assume that their answers are honest
and accurate. Concerns about the honesty of responses are
particularly applicable to a survey such as
SALSUS
which covers sensitive topic areas. Although steps were taken to
encourage honest answers, such as pupils sitting in exam
conditions and being reassured of the confidentiality of their
answers, we do not know how honest pupils were. However, English
surveys of smoking, drinking and drug use among secondary school
pupils carried out throughout the 1990s used saliva tests to
validate the estimates of the prevalence of smoking derived from
the questionnaire and smoking diary. The results consistently
suggested that pupils were providing honest answers. While there
is no such evidence relating to drinking or drug use, it is
assumed that the proven high level of honesty extends to these
substances.
Accuracy is also an issue with self-report and accuracy of answers will vary. Some questions will be easy for pupils to answer and should, therefore, produce accurate results; for example, would you like to give up smoking? - Yes, No, Don't know. Other questions rely on the accuracy of pupils' recall and ask them to quantify their behaviour; for example, how many cigarettes did you smoke on each day in the last seven days, ending yesterday? Answers to this type of question are less likely to be accurate. - The sample only covers pupils in mainstream secondary education. The sample excludes pupils in special schools, secure residential units and those who are home schooled. Substance use may be very different among pupils who are not in mainstream secondary education and hence the results from SALSUS cannot be applied to these pupils.
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