Complementing random-digit-dial telephone surveys with other approaches to collecting sensitive data

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Survey Methodology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Telephone surveys using random-digit-dial (RDD) sampling are common for sensitive topics like the Injury Control and Risk Surveys (ICARIS) and Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• RDD telephone surveys face increasing challenges with declining response rates and incomplete population coverage.
• These limitations impact the reliability and generalizability of data collected on sensitive health behaviors and risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare alternative data collection methods to traditional RDD telephone surveys for sensitive topic surveys.
• To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various survey modes concerning coverage, nonresponse, and measurement.
• To discuss the potential of mixed-mode survey designs for sensitive data collection.

Main Methods:

• Review of alternative data collection methods: audio computer-assisted interviews (ACASI) in personal visit surveys, mail surveys, web surveys, and interactive voice response (IVR) surveys.
• Comparative analysis of these methods against RDD telephone surveys, focusing on coverage, nonresponse, and measurement issues.
• Discussion on the feasibility and implications of mixed-mode survey designs.

Main Results:

• Alternative methods like ACASI, mail, web, and IVR surveys present distinct advantages and disadvantages regarding coverage, nonresponse, and measurement accuracy.
• No single alternative method or mixed-mode design emerged as a universally superior option for surveys on sensitive topics.
• The comparison highlights trade-offs inherent in each data collection approach.

Conclusions:

• The limitations of RDD telephone surveys necessitate exploring alternative and mixed-mode approaches for sensitive topic surveys.
• Current alternative methods and mixed-mode designs do not offer a definitive solution, indicating a need for further methodological research.
• Optimizing survey methodologies for sensitive topics requires continued investigation into coverage, nonresponse, and measurement across different modes.