GAP Toolkit 5 Training in basic drug abuse data management and analysis

Training session 6

Codingopen questions

Objectives

• To distinguish between the coding of open and closed questions

• To establish a set of practical coding rules for open questions

• To describe standard coding schemes, including those used in the Annual Reports Questionnaire

Open questions

• The set of all possible answers is unknown• Post-coding at some level is required

Example

• “Please use the space below to document any other developments in prevalence and patterns of drug abuse in your country over the past year.”

(Annual Reports Questionnaire: Summary expert opinions, p. 14.)

Examples

1. Primary drug of use (specify):………………………………..

2. Other (specify): ………………………………..

Coding approaches

• Anticipate as many of the responses as possible and pre-code the question as a list with an Other category

• Where no pre-coding has occurred, establish a list of categories by:

– Sampling a percentage of the completed questionnaires, or – Using an alphanumeric variable in SPSS and the frequency

command

Level of detail

• Maintain the highest level of detail possible• Recode when the analysis requires it

Standard coding schemes

• Benefits:– Comparability– Ease

• Annual Reports Questionnaire coding schemes

Definition of data elements

• Drug categories• Age categories• Time periods• Modes of ingestion

Annual Reports Questionnaire drug categories

Drug classes and types

• Drug classes provide categories for a range of drug types

• Types are a subset of classes

Drug classes

• Cannabis-type• Opioids• Cocaine-type• Amphetamine-type

• Sedatives and tranquillizers• Hallucinogens• Solvents and inhalants• Other drugs

Drug types• Marijuana• Hashish• Heroin• Opium• Other opioids• Cocaine powder• Crack cocaine• Other cocaine

• Amphetamine• Methamphetamine• Ecstasy-type• Barbiturates• Benzodiazepines• LSD• Other hallucinogens• Solvents and inhalers• Other drugs

Annual Reports Questionnaire age categories

Age categories

X Age in years

Children X <= 12

Young teens 13 <= X <= 14

Late teens 15 <= X <= 16

Young adults 17 <= X <= 24

Adults 25 <= X <= 34

Older adults 35 <= X

Time periods

• Lifetime• Annual• Current• Daily

Mode of ingestion

• Oral consumption– Eating– Drinking– Swallowing

• Sniffing and snorting• Smoking or inhaling sublimate• Injection

Summary

• Open questions– Anticipate and pre-code with an Other category– Let the data decide, post-code

• Standard coding categories– Drug types and classes– Age groups– Time periods– Mode of ingestion