MI CReSS Community Surveys

What are the MI CReSS Community Surveys?

The Michigan COVID-19 Recovery Surveillance Study (MI CReSS) survey was launched in June 2020 with the goal of learning about Michiganders’ experiences before, during, and after their COVID-19 illness. We conducted two follow-up surveys to learn more about the long-term effects of COVID-19 on people who have tested positive. 

We launched the MI CReSS focus group discussions in September 2024 to learn more about the experiences of diverse communities in Michigan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the focus group discussions informed the next phase of our study, the MI CReSS Community Surveys.  

The MI CReSS Community Surveys are a collaborative effort between the University of Michigan School of Public Health (UM SPH) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Community Surveys will offer us greater insight into the challenges certain communities faced during the pandemic. With your help, we can better understand how to direct ongoing public health response efforts and develop policies and resources to help Michigan residents who may have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. 

Who is conducting the MI CReSS Community Surveys?

The Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research will partner with the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to collect data through the Community Surveys. 

Why was I contacted to participate in the Community Surveys?

You are eligible to participate in a MI CReSS Community Survey if our records indicate that you lived in or were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Michigan during the pandemic. 

We would like to hear about how the pandemic may have affected your life and your community, as well as any of your experiences with COVID-19 illness and Long COVID. This information will help us to better understand the challenges certain communities faced during the pandemic. Your contributions are invaluable to the health and well-being of others in your community and the state of Michigan. 

Will my answers be kept private?

All answers for the MI CReSS Community Survey will be kept completely private to the extent permitted by law. Identifying information will be removed from any responses and will be stored separately from the data collected as part of this project. No one will be identified individually in the reports and publications developed from the community surveys. Grouped results from fewer than 5 people will not be reported, and all materials will be reviewed to ensure that privacy is maintained.

The Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research has your name and mailing address for two reasons: so they can contact you about participating in our MI CReSS Community Surveys and to provide compensation for your time and efforts. Your name will never be attached to any of the responses you provide. No one else—including any employees at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services—can connect your answers to your name. Extra steps are being taken to ensure your privacy, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is providing oversight to ensure your data remain private and secure. 

It’s been a while since I’ve had COVID, or I’ve never had it. Is it important that I answer these questions/participate in the Community Surveys?

Yes, your participation in this study is invaluable. While your story is unique, it may have similarities to others who resided in Michigan during the pandemic. Because we cannot interview every single person in Michigan, we have sampled a diverse group of people to represent Michiganders. Your answers help speak for others who may be like you in terms of your age, race or ethnicity, where you live in Michigan, and other parts of your life. 

Is there any compensation for participating in the Community Surveys?

All participants who participate in the Community Surveys will receive a gift card as compensation for their time and efforts.