The Cooper Institute Deploys Inquisite Web Surveys To Study American Lifestyle Habits

Rapid Deployment, Real-Time Data Access Enable Premier Research Center to Acquire, Analyze Health Data

AUSTIN, Texas - September 22, 2003 - The Cooper Institute, one of the world's most respected health research organizations, is using web survey technology from Inquisite to conduct ongoing research as part of its renowned Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS), which examines the impact diet, physical activity and other lifestyle factors have on mortality.

Founded in 1970, The Cooper Institute is a nonprofit preventive medicine research and education center that is internationally recognized as a leader in exercise science. The ACLS is an ongoing study tracking the health habits of more than 25,000 patients originally examined at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas since 1970. Results from the study, which boasts the largest existing cardiorespiratory fitness database, have been used by researchers worldwide to develop fitness and diet recommendations that improve and extend life.

The institute's director of survey research, Steve Hines, said the institute traditionally polled its patients using paper, telephone and electronic surveys developed by internal IT staff, all of which proved to be slow, labor-intensive and expensive. Hines began looking earlier this year for a professional, Internet-based system that did not require specialized technical skills. He and his team are now conducting ACLS follow-up research using Inquisite to reach adults over age 40 nationwide. Respondents receive invitations inviting them to complete the surveys, which have an average of about 100 questions.

"Inquisite was the natural choice for us for several reasons. Its ease of use, scalability, real-time access to data and robust reporting capabilities are making it an indispensable tool," Hines said, adding that he has seen response rates jump from 10 percent using paper surveys to 60 percent using Inquisite web surveys. Hines added that the solution also has virtually eliminated data-entry errors, since results are no longer keyed in, more than doubling the productivity of his 12-member department.

"Our respondents like it, too," Hines said. "They appreciate the straightforward process and are able to complete the surveys at their leisure. We also ask them questions about the Internet connections they have, dial-up vs. DSL, and the length of our surveys, so we can get a better picture of how they're using the web and help maintain their interest in our research."

Older Americans are one of the fastest growing groups on the web. A Pew Internet & American Life Project report released in April found that 36 million Internet users in North America are age 50 or older, supporting Hines' theory that this target population would be receptive to web surveys. In addition to shopping, reading the news and corresponding with friends and family via e-mail, more older Americans are turning to the web for health care information. Thus, Hines said, the Internet could be instrumental in helping older adults manage or prevent disease, as well as maintain adequate levels of health literacy, which has been shown to decline substantially with age.

About The Cooper Institute
Founded in 1970, The Cooper Institute was the first company established by Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., as part of The Cooper Aerobics Center. The Cooper Institute is a nonprofit preventive medicine research and education center with offices in Dallas and Denver. Internationally recognized as a leader in exercise science, The Cooper Institute's research areas focus on epidemiology, exercise physiology, cancer, obesity, nutrition, aging, diabetes, arthritis and hypertension. For more information, visit www.cooperinst.org.

About Inquisite
Inquisite is a leading provider of do-it-yourself web survey technology and services. Inquisite helps the business user collect, analyze and report strategic information across a broad range of organizational disciplines. Inquisite's robust features empower managers to make better decisions, while its ease of use promotes enterprise-wide installation and training, resulting in superior ROI and competitive leverage. Many of the world's leading organizations use Inquisite for their mission-critical B2B, B2C and B2E evaluation and feedback initiatives. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Inquisite's customer base includes industry leaders in the customer satisfaction, education, financial services, healthcare, human resource, government, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and retail sectors. For more information, visit www.inquisite.com.

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