Collecting data on alcohol use and alcohol-related victimization: a comparison of telephone and Web-based survey methods

• Published in: Journal of studies on alcohol Vol. 67; no. 2; p. 318
• Main Authors: Parks, Kathleen A, Pardi, Ann M, Bradizza, Clara M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2006
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcoholic Intoxication - epidemiology; Comorbidity; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Crime Victims - economics; Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data; Data Collection - economics; Data Collection - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Internet - economics; Internet - statistics & numerical data; Interviews as Topic; New York; Reproducibility of Results; Sex Factors; Street Drugs; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; New York
• ISSN: 0096-882X
• DOI: 10.15288/jsa.2006.67.318

Traditionally, personal contact with an experienced interviewer has been thought to facilitate collection of data on alcohol use and victimization experiences. Recent studies indicate that Web-based surveys may be an efficient alternative for gathering these sensitive data. To date, telephone interviewing and Web-based collection of data on alcohol-related negative consequences, particularly victimization, have not been compared. This study was designed to compare data from an interviewer-administered and Web-based survey on alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences in a sample of college women. Seven hundred women from a second semester freshmen college class were randomly selected to participate in either the telephone interview or Web-based modes of survey administration. Fifty-three percent of invited women (N = 370) completed the survey. Completion rates were higher, and estimated dollar costs were significantly lower, for the Web-based survey. There were no differences in reported rates of alcohol or drug use by survey method; however, there were differences in several specific alcohol-related negative consequences. These findings suggest that, for college women, Web-based surveys versus telephone interviews can be an effective and more cost-efficient means for collecting data on alcohol use and related negative consequences, particularly victimization. In addition, we found some evidence that women may be more forthcoming when responding to a Web-based survey as compared with an interviewer-administered telephone survey.