Research Observations

My research involves Shanghai female migrant workers' access to healthcare insurance. In my survey, I ask these females questions on their family background, contraceptive usage, and knowledge on their personal insurance status. I carry out my research in a community-based hospital in Changning District (长宁区). The clinic is open six days a week, but on Fridays and Saturdays, it is open from 8AM to 11:30AM. Furthermore, the siesta time is at least one-and-a-half hours Mondays through Thursdays. Usually, the hospital staff members take naps or...take naps?

Every few months, women come to this clinic to receive a contraceptive check-up. Their information is directly entered into a centralized web-based database. After the check-up, each woman receives a white slip, on which is a certification stamp and a head shot (which the woman provides herself). She must then send this back to her hometown - where she has hukou (permanent residential) status - before a certain deadline.

My survey is administered interview-style, in which I personally ask the patients questions. A number of these women are not able to read. However, they often note that their husbands have at least a middle-school education. The benefits of personally asking these women the questions is that they are not as embarrassed admitting that they cannot read and I can make sure that all the questions are addressed. However, the disadvantage is that some are not truthfully answering some of the questions. For example:

Question: How many abortions have you undergone?
Answer: 好像做了"X"次.
Translation: I think "X" number.

Secondly, perhaps because these women are not used to surveys and/or for cultural reasons, there are ambiguities when I think the question is straightforward. For example:

Question: How many abortions have you undergone?
Answer: 生第一个孩子以前算么?
Translation: Does it count if it was before delivery my first child?

Question (Part I): Do you have NCMS (the government-sponsored insurance for rural residents)?
Answer: 没有.
Translation: No.
Question (Part II): Do you have that insurance in your hometown where you pay 20RMB or more a year?
Answer: 哦, 你说哪个牙, 好像有. 家里人管这个, 所以我不太清楚.
Translation: Ah, you mean that one. Yes, I think I have it. My family members (usually the mother-in-law and/or father-in-law) take care of it, so I am not very clear about the situation.

Finally, one thing that I find a bit frustrating:

Question (Part I): How many years have you lived in Shanghai?
Answer: 好多年了.
Translation: Many years.
Question (Part II): How many years is "many years?"
Answer: 十几年了．
Translation: Over ten years.
Question (Part III): How many years is "over ten years?"
Answer: 好像 "X" 年.
Translation: I think "X" years.