Quebec Incidence Study 2008
Data were collected in Québec using an automated electronic data collection instrument electronically generated through the provincial client information system (Projet Intégration Jeunesse-PIJ). Adapting the CIS data form and sampling procedure to this new method was led by a team of researchers at McGill University, Université Laval and Centre jeunesse de Montréal - Institut universitaire. This modified procedure was used in part to test the cost and feasibility of using similar methods in other jurisdictions in future cycles of the CIS.
Additional Funding for the Québec component of the CIS 2008 was provided by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec to obtain provincial estimates. All of the youth centres in Québec using the PIJ system participated in the study, with the exception of two. The two youth centres located in the northern region of Québec which do not use the provincial client information system did not participate.
Cases were randomly sampled by the client information system which prompted the youth protection worker to complete the electronic form when they were completing their investigation report at the conclusion of the investigation. Approximately one quarter of the question fields in the form were automatically completed by the client information system. Due to the adaptation of the data collection instrument to an electronic form, there is not perfect correspondence between the electronic fields and the paper data collection instrument.
In addition, each participating youth centre also identified a liaison person who facilitated and monitored the data collection in each site. As with the CIS, cases were sampled as they came in between October 1st and December 31st, 2008. This procedure generated a final sample of approximately 3,000 investigations in Québec.
