Methodological innovations in the National Survey of American Life

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the conceptualization and methods used in the National Survey of American Life (NSAL). The objectives of the NSAL are to investigate the nature, severity, and impairment of mental disorders among national samples of the black and non-Hispanic white (n = 1,006) populations in the US, including African American (N = 3,570), and Afro-Caribbean (N = 1,623) immigrant and second and older generation, populations. National multi-stage probability methods were used in generating the samples and race/ethnic matching of interviewers and respondents were employed in the largely face-to-face interview, lasting on average 2 hours and 20 minutes. Two methodological approaches are described for addressing sampling coverage of individuals attached to, but not residing in, selected households at the time of the study. The paper also describes two approaches used to address concerns about the interpretations of standard symptom probe information in assessing serious mental disorders. This included a clinical reappraisal study designed to ascertain differences in symptom responding and ascertainment of cases (N = 677) in a subset of the same NSAL respondents. Finally, an abbreviated, novel method for estimating the prevalence of mental disorders in first-degree family members is described and the preliminary results from this new approach are reported.

How Incarceration Influences Native-Born Black Men’s Risk of Obesity

“…As such, experiencing a family disruption firsthand because a relative is in jail or prison creates compounding difficulties from which Black people, families, and communities may never recover. Findings reported here and elsewhere 12,[22][23][24][25]27,30,32 confirm that the incarceration of Black men should be considered a public health crisis.…”

Race, Ethnicity, and the Use of Services for Mental Disorders

“…The African American sample was selected exclusively from geographic segments in proportion to the African American population; the Caribbean black sample was selected from the African American segments and additional metropolitan segments in which blacks of Caribbean descent made up more than 10% of the population. 20 In both the African American and Caribbean black samples, it was necessary for respondents to self-identify their race as black. Those selfidentifying as black were included in the Caribbean black sample if they answered affirmatively to any of these inclusion criteria: (1) West Indian or Caribbean descent, (2) from a Caribbean area country, and/or (3) parents or grandparents were born in a Caribbean area country.…”

Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Lifetime Suicide Attempts Among Blacks in the United States

“…22 The NSAL is a nationally representative household survey of 3570 African Americans, 1621 blacks of Caribbean descent (Caribbean blacks), and 891 non-Hispanic whites, aged 18 years and older. 23 The non-Hispanic whites, however, were not administered the full interview and were not asked the suicidality questions. Thus, this report focuses on the African American and Caribbean black samples.…”