A household panel as a tool for cost-effective health-related population surveys: validity of the "Healthcare Access Panel"

Background: Random sample surveys of the population are time consuming and expensive, particularly if international sampling is planned. Method: The Healthcare Access Panel was developed as an alternative to face to face or telephone health survey interviews to estimate prevalence or even incidence rates of health-relevant variables in the population. It is the objective of this paper to demonstrate the validity of health-related data obtained with the Healthcare Access Panel compared with results from other, population-based data sources. The example is Germany, where the Panel consists of more than 78,000 individuals aged between 0 and 79 years. Results: The Healthcare Access Panel reflects the population concerning age, sex, and regional structure with a good correlation. The hospitalisation rate obtained with the Panel matches the official National Hospital Discharge Statistics. Annual consultations with major medical disciplines were found to be almost identical in the Healthcare Access Panel as compared with the German National Health Survey (GNHS). The Healthcare Access Panel data matched the GNHS prevalence results of self-reported medical conditions/diseases. Advantages and disadvantages of the Healthcare Access Panel compared with specially designed population field surveys are discussed. Conclusion: It is worthwhile to consider the Healthcare Access Panel approach as a cost-effective alternative to other population-based data collection methods under many circumstances, i.e. considering the specific methodological pros and cons as necessary for any other method.