A comparison of four computer-based telephone interviewing methods: getting answers to sensitive questions

Interactive voice response (IVR) technology presents a new and promising approach by which to collect accurate data on sensitive topics by telephone interviews. In a national survey of 2,880 households of alcohol and drug consumption, we compared computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATT) and IVR with two hybrid methods that combine IVR with CATI. The principal hypothesis was that the self-report rates of sensitive behaviors would be higher for the hybrid and IVR methods owing to greater perceived confidentiality than with CATI. All the methods obtained similar sample demographic compositions. Response rates did not differ significantly between the CATI and the hybrid methods; however, the response rate with IVR was significantly lower. The hybrid and IVR methods obtained significantly higher self-report consumption rates for alcohol and marijuana and significantly higher hazardous drinking scores, as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).