Improving epidemiological surveys of sexual behaviour conducted by telephone

• Published in: International journal of epidemiology Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 1118 - 1127
• Main Authors: Turner, Charles F, Al-Tayyib, Alia, Rogers, Susan M, Eggleston, Elizabeth, Villarroel, Maria A, Roman, Anthony M, Chromy, James R, Cooley, Phillip C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.08.2009; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Analysis. Health state; Biological and medical sciences; computerized surveys; Computers; Condoms - utilization; Contraception Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Epidemiology; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; General aspects; Health Surveys; Humans; Infectious diseases; Interviews as Topic - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Methodology; Middle Aged; Population surveys; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Self Disclosure; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; sexual behaviours; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - diagnosis; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological - epidemiology; sexually transmitted infections; STD risk behaviours; T-ACASI; Telephone; United States - epidemiology; User-Computer Interface; Young Adult; United States; T-ACASI; sexually transmitted infections; sexual behaviours; Population surveys; STD risk behaviours; methodology; computerized surveys; Methodology; Telephone; Sexual behavior; Epidemiology; Statistical study; Infection; Survey; Population survey; Sexually transmitted disease; Telephone call; Risk factor; Public health; Computerization
• ISSN: 0300-5771; 1464-3685
• DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyp210

Background This study assesses the impact of Telephone Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (T-ACASI) on the reporting of sensitive (mainly heterosexual) behaviours. Methods A randomized experiment was embedded in a telephone survey that drew probability samples of the populations of the USA (N = 1543) and Baltimore city (N = 744). Respondents were randomly assigned to have questions asked either by a T-ACASI computer or by a human telephone interviewer. Results Compared with interviewer-administered telephone surveys, T-ACASI obtained more frequent reporting of a range of mainly heterosexual behaviours that were presumed to be sensitive, including recency of anal sex [adjusted odds ratio (A-OR) = 2.00, P < 0.001), sex during menstrual period (A-OR = 1.49, P < 0.001), giving oral sex (A-OR = 1.40, P = 0.001) and receiving oral sex (A-OR = 1.36, P = 0.002), and sexual difficulties for the respondent (A-OR = 1.45, P = 0.034) and their main sex partner (A-OR = 1.48, P = 0.0). T-ACASI also obtained less frequent reporting that respondent had a ‘main sex partner’ (A-OR = 0.56, P = 0.011) and discussed contraception prior to first sex with that sex partner (A-OR = 0.82, P = 0.094). For both males and females, T-ACASI obtained more frequent reports of first vaginal sex occurring at early ages (before ages 12 through 15). ‘For males only’, T-ACASI also elicited more frequent reports that first vaginal sex had ‘not’ occurred at later ages (i.e. by ages 20 through 24). Conclusion T-ACASI increases the likelihood that survey respondents will report sensitive heterosexual behaviours.