Equitable spam detection and prevention in a community-engaged public health survey

My Health Story is a community-engaged, public health survey administered to adults aged 18 and older in the Finger Lakes region of New York state by a community-based planning, research, and convening agency. In 2022, shortly after initiating recruitment, the team noticed that the survey database was receiving an unusually high rate of responses from links posted online. After scanning these records, the team questioned whether many were inauthentic, or “fake” data responses. In response, study investigators created an ad hoc data equity team to engage in a self-reflective, iterative process to develop and test strategies for detecting and preventing further infiltration of inauthentic records. Importantly, the study team engaged in processes to double check that flag definitions did not unfairly exclude underrepresented populations, the very same people that the project was designed to recruit. Ultimately, the effort preserved the integrity of the dataset while prioritizing the inclusion of underrepresented populations. We conclude with recommendations for equitable prevention and detection of inauthentic records and with regulatory considerations for similar public health survey initiatives.