About the question bank

The Question Bank is a resource designed to support National Statistical Offices (NSOs) in LMICs to support rapid survey development during infectious disease outbreaks. It contains a curated selection of tested questions, organised by theme, with multiple variations and response options. Each question includes references to the studies in which it was used, along with relevant notes to guide application.

This tool aims to:

- Provide a reliable set of questions that generate high-quality data.

- Accelerate the process of designing new surveys in outbreak settings.

- Offer flexibility in how questions are phrased and answered.

It provides a standardised set of questions that can be adapted for use in household surveys, phone interviews, or rapid assessments. The goal is to enable evidence-based decision-making and effective public health responses by capturing key indicators related to health, behaviour, socio-economic impact, and access to services.

Step by step guide

Step 1: Define Your Objectives

Start by clarifying the purpose of your survey or assessment.

Ask yourself:

  • What is the main goal of the survey?

  • Which topic areas are most relevant (e.g., health, well-being, demographics)?

  • Who is your target population or audience?

Once you have this in mind, move to Step 2.

Step 2: Begin with Demographics and more demographics

Most surveys start by collecting demographic information. Use the Demographic Information theme to select relevant questions.

Tip: If you're surveying students or children, check the specific demographic themes tailored to those groups

Step 3: Select Relevant Themes

Next, choose the themes that align with your objectives. You can use all available themes or just a subset, depending on your survey’s scope.

Step 4: Choose Questions and Responses

Go through your first selected theme and copy the most appropriate questions and response options.

Tip: Some questions offer multiple response formats, choose the one that best fits your context

Step 5: Repeat for Other Themes

Repeat the process from Step 4 for any additional themes that support your objectives. Again, copy the most suitable questions and responses.

Step 6: Adapt and Refine

Now that you've selected your questions, adapt them as needed to suit your specific context or population.

Step 7: Add Custom Questions

If needed, include additional questions that are not in the Question Bank but are important for your survey.

Step 8: Add Closing Questions

Wrap up your survey with appropriate closing questions to thank participants or gather final thoughts.

Thank you for using the Question Bank! Please see the Helpful tips! section for further clarification.