Attachment J Letters in English

APPENDIX J: Cover letters, English, 1st mailing

Dear {City} Resident:
We are writing to invite you to take part in an important national survey sponsored by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).
The goal of HINTS is to learn what health information people want to know and where they try to find it. By
completing this questionnaire, you will help us learn what health information you need and how to make
that information available to you, your family and your community.
In order to make sure we get responses from a random sample of people, we ask that the adult in your
household with the next birthday complete and return this questionnaire in the next two weeks.
Your participation is voluntary and your responses will not be linked to your name. We have enclosed $2 as
a token of our appreciation for your participation.
You can find out more about HINTS at HINTS.cancer.gov. Westat, a research firm, will conduct the survey. If
you have any questions about HINTS {or if you need more questionnaires}, or if you would like to complete
this survey in a language other than English or Spanish, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-738-6805.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,

Bradford W. Hesse, Ph.D.
HINTS Project Officer
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services

The Health Information National Trends Survey is authorized under 42 USC, Section 285A

APPENDIX J: Cover letters, English, 2nd and 3rd mailing

Dear {City} Resident:
We recently invited you to participate in an important national survey sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The goal of the Health Information National
Trends Survey (HINTS) is to learn what health information people want to know and where they go to
find it. Your responses will help us keep you, your family and members of your community better
informed on the health issues that matter to you.
We have not yet received your completed questionnaire. To make sure HINTS provides accurate
information, we need all the households invited to participate in this year’s HINTS to complete the
survey. If you did send back your survey and it crossed in the mail with this letter, thank you for the
time you took to help make this study a success. In the event that your questionnaire was misplaced,
an additional copy is enclosed.
In order to make sure we get responses from a random sample of people, we ask that the adult in
your household with the next birthday complete and return this questionnaire in the next two
weeks.
Additional information about HINTS is available at: www.hints.cancer.gov. If you have any
questions, or would like to complete this survey in a language other than English or Spanish,
please call Westat toll free at 1-888-738-6805.
Thank you in advance for contributing to this important national study.

Sincerely,

Bradford W. Hesse, Ph.D.
HINTS Project Officer
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services

The Health Information National Trends Survey is authorized under 42 USC, Section 285A.

APPENDIX J: FAQs (on back of all letters)
Some Frequently Asked Questions
about the
Health Information National Trends Survey
Q:

What is the study about? What kind of questions do you ask?
A:
The study concerns health and how people receive health information. For example, we will ask
how you usually get information about how to stay healthy, the sources of information you most trust, and
how you might like to get such information in the future. We will also ask about your beliefs on what
contributes to good health, how best to prevent cancer, your participation in various health-related
activities, and related topics.

Q:

How will the study results be used? What will be done with my information?
A:
Findings will help the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services promote good health and
prevent disease by determining ways of better communicating accurate health information to Americans.

Q:

How did you get my address?
A:
Your address was randomly selected from among all of the known home addresses in the nation. It
was selected using scientific sampling methods.

Q:

Why should I take part in this study? Do I have to do this?
A:
Your participation is voluntary, and you may refuse to answer any questions or withdraw from the
study at any time. However, your answers are very important to the success of this study and will
represent thousands of others. Getting an answer from all the households chosen for the study is the best
way to make sure the study results reflect the thoughts and opinions of all Americans.

Q:

Will my answers to the survey be kept private?
A:
Yes. Your answers will be kept private under the Privacy Act. Your answers cannot be connected
to your name or any other information that could identify you or your household, to the extent provided by
law. The completed questionnaires will be stored in a separate file with restricted access. Both the paper
and electronic versions of the information will be destroyed shortly after the research is finalized.

Q:

How long will it take to answer the questions?
A:

Q:

About 20 to 30 minutes.

Who is sponsoring the study? Is this study approved by the Federal Government?
A:
The study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The study has
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the office that reviews all federallysponsored surveys. The OMB approval number assigned to this study is 0925-0538.

Q:

Who is Westat?
A:
Westat is a research company located in Rockville, Maryland. Westat is conducting this survey
under contract to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

APPENDIX J: Postcard

A few days ago you should have received a questionnaire packet asking for your household’s participation in
the Health Information National Trends Survey. By completing the questionnaire, you can help the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services determine the best ways of communicating important health
information to members of your community.
We are inviting one adult in the household to complete a questionnaire. If the adult identified on the
questionnaire has already completed it and returned it to us, please accept my sincere thanks. If that adult has
not yet completed and returned the questionnaire, we ask that he or she please do so as soon as possible.
Your household’s participation is important and will help inform efforts to provide timely and relevant health
information to you, your family, and your community.

Sincerely,

Bradford W. Hesse, Ph.D.
HINTS Project Officer
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services

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