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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has decided to take a second look at a poorer, less employed Ohio and perform a first-ever do-over of its family health survey.

The Ohio Family Health Survey, considered the standard in Ohio for measuring the uninsured and the reasons for their plight, was released in March and the data collected from August 2008 through January. The report every four years surveys more than 50,000 state residents and breaks down by county those who are uninsured and some of the causes.

But the economic changes have been so great since then the data was collected that the institute will by January perform another 10,000-person survey to re-check the numbers — a first for the organization.

“The economy has received a severe jolt,” institute President William Hayes said. “Getting back out there is useful to see how that jolt effected families in terms of coverage and their income, and try to assess what happened with health and the other impact of all this economic upheaval.”

The institute will also launch another first as soon as October: another version of the survey that polls employers instead of Ohio citizens. Communications Director Paul Quinn said this survey could do a better job quantifying the kinds of insurance offered by employers; there’s a feeling that some residents don’t know all the intricacies of what their employers offer. Hayes said surveying employers will add important context to policy recommendations as legislators and others use the institute’s data for health-care reform.

The re-check of the Ohio Family Health Survey, because of its smaller sample side, won’t be able to provide insight into every county, Hayes said. Instead, it will provide at best regional numbers. The institute is also considering asking new questions to look at violence in the home, do a better job gathering recent income figures, and collect data on military service, among other things, Hayes said.