Nurse’s Health Study - Harvard University



SEMI-QUANTITATIVE FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Where do I obtain information regarding the food frequency questionnaires?

Please email either Laura Sampson at nhlas@channing.harvard.edu or Patrice Brown at pbrown@hsph.harvard.edu. Please do not email both people. This potentially will create a duplication of efforts.

2. When will my institution receive an invoice?

Invoices are sent for the cost of blank questionnaires and then again once processing has been completed and you have received your data. Please provide purchase orders to cover costs for each. We accept payments by check, wire transfer, or Harvard Internal Payments (Harvard Affiliates Only). We do not accept credit cards.

Please make sure payments include in the memo “NQSC (Invoice #); B.Justice 2-7866” as an identifier. Wire transfer is preferred for orders over $1000.00. Please contact Bristian Justice for wire transfers and internal payments; phone: 617-432-7866 or bjustice@hsph.harvard.edu. For billing questions, please contact Lauren Dougherty at 617-998-6615 or nhlhw@channing.harvard.edu.

3. Where should I send the questionnaire to be analyzed?

All questionnaires should be sent to:

Laura Sampson, MS, RD

Harvard School of Public Health

Nutrition Questionnaire Service Center

Nutrition Department, 3rd Floor, bldg. 2, rm 327

665 Huntington Ave

Boston, MA 02115.

4. What type of output will I receive and how will I receive it?

Please refer to the information packet located on our website. There are two documents within the packet which are labeled rawlogs and score sheets. These are examples of the standard files returned to each investigator. You may also choose to have your scanned and nutrient output data files returned so that you can do additional statistical testing. You may choose either ASCII or EXCEL format for these files. Whether you request just the scores and rawlog files or the additional scanned and nutrient files, your data will be sent electronically via a WinZip file attachment. Your questionnaires will be returned via FedEx. Please remember to include TWO email addresses on the billing form, which can be obtained from the website.

5. How often is the Harvard School of Public Health’s nutrient database updated?

The databases are updated every two - four years.

6. Is there a minimum order requirement?

No

7. How should the participants fill out the food frequency questionnaire?

The questionnaire should be coded in a #2 pencil.

8. How should my questionnaires look upon return for processing?

Each questionnaire should be completed using a number two pencil. Please refrain from placing labels, holes, stray marks, staples or names on each questionnaire. Each questionnaire must be assigned an identification number to be analyzed. Due to HIPPA regulations, any questionnaire received with personal identification such as a name or social security number will be returned to the investigator. If this information is already on your questionnaire, the identifying information must be crossed out or erased before submitting for processing so that it is not visible.

9. How should I assign an identification number?

Each questionnaire requires an ID number before it can be scanned and analyzed. You may choose unique numbers that have 8 or less digits. Double check that duplicate IDs were not assigned. Please take into account the size of your study and any follow-up studies that may follow when assigning IDs. The ID needs only to be meaningful to the investigator. You do not need to assign leading nor trailing zeros.

10. What is the turnaround time for FFQ’s?

Questionnaires are analyzed on a first come, first serve basis. Please allow between six to eight weeks before receiving your analysis. All FFQs will be returned using FedEx upon completion of analysis. Data will be returned in a WinZip attachment.

11. Does the Harvard School of Public Health provide instruction for participants or investigators?

We do not provide the study coordinators with any instructions when administering food frequency questionnaires to participants. However please ensure that your participants complete the questionnaire using a #2 pencil. Please refrain from placing labels, holes, stray marks, staples or names on each questionnaire.

12. On average, how long does it take a participant to complete the food frequency questionnaire?

The questionnaire usually takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.

13. I have a large study; is it possible to receive a discount?

We do not discount. Our prices are nonnegotiable.

14. What is a self coder and a self coder/editor?

A self coder is responsible for coding the study participant’s ID in the appropriate box and filling in codes related to open-ended questions. Each self coder will receive a coding manual, which explains the procedure, along with codes for margarines, oils, vitamins, cereals and foods. A self coder/editor is responsible for the self coding duties, editing the scanned data and returning edited outputs and questionnaires to Laura Sampson for completion of analysis. The editing process usually requires dual mailing.

15. I am a self-coder or self-coder/editor. Can I obtain instructions for these duties?

Yes, please refer to our website,

.

To obtain a username and password for the Adult Coding Manual site, please contact either Laura Sampson at nhlas@channing.harvard.edu

16. What constitutes a large study to be eligible for self-coding?

For studies to be eligible for self-coding they need to have 1000+ study

participants.

17. What are the differences between the questionnaires?

All three questionnaires (80out, 2007 grid and 2007 booklet) were designed to be a self-administered questionnaire to assess intake of various nutrients. The questionnaires mainly differ in length. The 80out green FFQ is a 3-page questionnaire, with 61 foods. The 80out, unlike the 2007 Grid FFQ and the 2007 Booklet FFQ, does not have an “other food” open-ended section, which allows participants to report foods not represented within the body of the questionnaire. The 80out has a limited range of food choices compared to the other FFQS. There are several difference files posted at the website describing the difference between the 2007 grid and booklet ffqs and the difference between the original gird and booklet ffqs and the current 2007 grid and booklet ffqs. Please check these files for further detail. Nutrient intakes are computed by assigning a daily frequency weight. We suggest that you review the following validation articles for further information:

Willett WC, Sampson, L, Stampfer, MJ, Rosner, B., Bain C, Witschi J,

Hennekens CH, Speizer, FE. Reproducibility and Validity of a

Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. Am J. Epidemiol 1985;

122: 51-65

Willett W, Sampson L, Browe ML, Stampfer MJ, Rosner B, Hennekens C,

Speizer, FE. The use of a self-administered questionnaire to assess diet four year in the past. Am. J. Epidemiol 1988; 127: 188-199.

Rimm, EB, Giovannucci E, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Litin L. Willett W.

Reproducibility and validity of a self-administred semi-quantitative food

frequency questionnaire, and diet records in US men. Am. J. Epidemol

1992; 135: 1114-36.

Dominique S. Michaud, Edward L. Giovannucci, Alberto Ascherio, Eric B. Rimm, Michelle R. Forman, Laura Sampson, and Walter C. Willett. Associations of Plasma Carotenoid Concentrations and Dietary Intake of Specific Carotenoids in Samples of Two Prospective Cohort Studies Using a New Carotenoid Database. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Vol.7, 283-290, April 1998.

18. How do I reference the questionnaire for my publication?

Please refer to validation list, within the information packet, for validation studies using the 80out and our original grid FFQ called the 88GP food frequency questionnaires. The 80out questionnaire is almost an exact replica of our original Nurses Health Study questionnaire. Use Walter Willett’s American Journal of Epidemiology 1985 article. The 2007 Grid FFQ is closest to the Health Professional Follow up questionnaire reported by Eric Rimm in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 1992. There is an abstract posted for the 97GP from SL Rifas-Shiman. This can also be used for the 2007 Booklet FFQ.

19. How do I get WinZip?

WINZIP file is sent using Partner’s Secure Transfer. You must login in and pick up your data within 10 days. Please provide 2 email addresses for receipt of the WINZIP files to assure data is obtained within the specified time.

If you do not have WinZip, you can go to . There is an evaluation program that you can download and programs to purchase that will open WinZip attachments. There are other free programs such as jzip that can be downloaded free that will open WinZip files. Please work with your IT Department if you have trouble opening the WinZip attachment.

20. How do I open the contents of the WinZip attachments?

To open csv.label files use notepad and to open the rawlogs and score files use Microsoft Word.

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