The effects of interview mode on smoking attitudes and behavior: self-report among female Latino adolescents

Although a substantial literature compares data on health-related behaviors collected by face-to-face and telephone interview formats, little attention has been paid to the comparability of responses regarding cigarette-smoking-related behavior, particularly among Latino youth. This study compares telephone and face-to-face interview methods for assessing smoking behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs among Latina adolescents. Data indicated no significant differences in demographic characteristics or smoking-related behaviors between the face-to-face and telephone groups. However, respondents interviewed face-to-face were significantly more likely to express dislike of smokers and state that quitting smoking was easy.