Telephone coverage and measurement of health risk indicators: data from the National Health Interview Survey.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared health behavior variables for all US households and households with telephones to measure the potential impact of telephone coverage on estimates from telephone surveys.


METHODS
Data were derived from the 1991 through 1994 version of the National Health Interview Survey.


RESULTS
Ninety-five percent of respondents lived in households with telephones. Differences in health indicators were small (< 1%) in comparisons between all households and those with telephones. Results were similar when only respondents below the poverty level were included.


CONCLUSIONS
Telephone noncoverage effects appear to be small, supporting the use of telephone surveys for health risk behavior surveillance with most population groups.
Anderson
J E
JE
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Nelson
D E
DE
Wilson
R W
RW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D013689:Telephone; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population