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Evidence-Based Survey Design
for Public Health Organizations: What to Avoid

Author: Brittany Weatherall

  • June 15, 2025

Designing a survey may seem straightforward, until response rates decline, the data doesn’t align with your indicators, or the questions fail to reflect community realities. In community health work, where surveys inform programs, funding, and policy, design missteps can lead to missed opportunities—or worse, erode community trust.

Here are five common pitfalls—and evidence-informed strategies to avoid them.

1. Asking Without Purpose

Mistake: Collecting data with no clear plan for how it will be used, or what it aligns to.
 

Before drafting any questions, define a specific, attainable goal and ensure it aligns with your broader evaluation strategy. What insights are you trying to gain? What decisions will this data help inform for stakeholders?

Surveys should be narrowly focused: “Ask only the questions needed to achieve your survey goal, and ask them as clearly and simply as possible.” Each item should align with your evaluation questions, indicators, or intended outcomes ¹. Establishing and following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for data collection and survey design not only promotes consistency, it also builds internal capacity and ensures transparency in how your organization collects and applies data. These SOPs should reference evidence-based survey methodologies (such as IES and Dillman’s Tailored Design Method) to reinforce equity in practice and ensure your data collection is strategic, ethical, and inclusive.

2. Overloading the Survey

Mistake: Asking too many questions or combining multiple topics in one tool.

Poor structure and survey fatigue are common culprits behind low-quality data. Overly long or disorganized surveys discourage completion, leading to biased or incomplete results.

The Institute of Education Sciences  (IES, 2023) recommends…

  • Keeping surveys brief and specific
  • Grouping related items into clear sections
  • Including progress indicators to reduce fatigue
  • Placing open-ended or demographic questions at the end

Avoid poorly constructed questions, including:

  • Loaded questions (contain assumptions)
  • Leading questions (bias in the response)
  • Double-barreled questions (ask two things at once)
  • Vague questions (unclear or broad)

Inappropriate response formats—such as inconsistent scales—can also hinder data cleaning and interpretation (Dillman et al., 2014).

3. Ignoring Health Literacy

Mistake: Writing in academic or clinical language that confuses or alienates respondents.

Use plain, accessible language. Avoid jargon, and make sure the survey is culturally and linguistically relevant. IES (2023) recommends pilot testing with members of your intended audience to identify confusing terms or unclear instructions.

Inclusive surveys also consider a range of lived experiences. Ask: Is this question necessary? Is the language respectful? Are the identity and demographic options expansive enough?

4. Disseminating Too Many Surveys

Mistake: Repeatedly surveying the same groups without coordination.

Communities, especially those historically marginalized, are often over-surveyed and under-informed. This leads to survey fatigue, disengagement, and declining response rates. When communities are continuously asked for input without seeing change, it can feel extractive and transactional.

IES recommends reviewing prior surveys, leveraging publicly available data, and coordinating with partners to prevent duplication. If a new survey is necessary, clearly communicate its purpose, intended use, and how results will be shared. Respecting participants’ time and voice is essential for maintaining trust and ensuring long-term engagement.

5. Skipping the Feedback Loop

Mistake: Failing to share findings or next steps with participants.
 
Collecting data without follow-up sends the message that community input doesn’t matter. According to IES (2023), “Build trust by closing the loop.” Share results in simple, accessible formats, infographics, summaries, short videos, and clearly communicate how the data informed your decisions, reports, or policies.

Final Thoughts

An effective survey is not just a data tool—it’s a trust-building tool. When designed with intention, clarity, and inclusivity, surveys produce not only better data but stronger relationships and more equitable outcomes.

Citations

  1. Institute of Education Sciences (2023). Creating Effective Surveys: Best Practices in Survey Design. https://ies.ed.gov/rel-west/2025/01/handout-creating-effective-surveys-best-practices-survey-design

  2. Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2014). Internet, Phone, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method (4th ed.). Wiley.

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