Does sampling using random digit dialling really cost more than sampling from telephone directories: Debunking the myths

Table 1 Demographics of weighted list assisted random digit dialling sample and weighted electronic white pages sample from the New South Wales Population Health Survey in 2003 compared with demographics of the New South Wales population (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 Census)

Demographic	LA-RDD %	EWP %	New South Wales %
			2001 Census*	2003 Estimate**
Born in Australia	78.4	79.9	70.5	69.5
Non-English speaking at home	14.0	12.4	24.3	24.5
Indigenous	2.07	1.85	1.9	2.0
Marital status
Married (registered)	60.97	62.92	51.7	50.5
Widowed	4.66	4.64	6.5	6.6
Separated but not divorced	3.14	2.53	3.3	3.5
Divorced	6.36	5.67	7.2	7.5
Never married	24.86	24.24	31.3	31.5
Social Economic Index for Areas
First quartile	20.33	19.71	25	25
Second quartile	25.96	25.91	25	25
Third quartile	23.75	23.64	25	25
Fourth quartile	29.96	30.75	25	25

* ABS 2001 Census. [13]
** Estimate projected from the 1991, 1996 and 2001 ABS Census. [15]
Source: New South Wales Health Survey Program, Centre for Epidemiology and Research, New South Wales Department of Health.

ISSN: 1471-2288