ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the nature of the survey. The 1993 survey involves two overlapping study populations, one cross-sectional and the other longitudinal. The cross-sectional study is an analysis of a sample of households at locations randomly selected in 1989 and surveyed in 1989, 1990 and 1993. The primary advantage of longitudinal research-and particularly panel studies that re-survey the same population-is that the research can trace a complex process by studying changes in specific individuals. The 1993 survey repeated some of the questions on the 1989 and 1990 surveys to elicit information on perceived probability of a major damaging earthquake and estimates of associated losses, and demographic characteristics of the household. The response rate for the 1993 cross-sectional survey exceeded 50 percent for all counties and was 67 percent in Santa Clara County. The purpose of the surveys was to document changes in attitudes toward earthquake vulnerability and the adoption of mitigation measures, including insurance.
