Automating standard alcohol use assessment instruments via interactive voice response technology.
BACKGROUND
Interactive voice response (IVR) technology integrates touch-tone telephones with computer-automated data processing. IVR offers a convenient, efficient method for remote collection of self-report data.


METHODS
Twenty-six subjects recruited from an outpatient alcohol treatment center completed IVR and paper/pencil versions of a demographic and drinking history questionnaire, Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale, Drinker Inventory of Consequences, Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale, Alcohol Dependence Scale, and two numerical rating scales of craving and desire to drink during the prior week. Administration of the instruments in both formats was repeated 1 week later. The order of administration method was counterbalanced between subjects and reversed across data collection sessions. Scale and subscale scores from both methods were correlated within sessions. Test-retest correlations were also calculated for each method. A criterion of alpha = 0.01 was used to control type I statistical error.


RESULTS
Intermethod correlations within each session were significant for all of the instruments administered. Test-retest correlations for both methods were also significant, except for the numerical ratings. Scores on the Alcohol Dependence Scale obtained via IVR were significantly lower than those collected by paper/pencil. Other differences between the data collection methods or across the sessions were inconsistent. The average IVR call length was 34 min and 23 sec. Paper/pencil forms required an average of 18 min and 38 sec to complete and an additional 10 min and 17 sec for data entry.


CONCLUSIONS
IVR technology provides a convenient alternative to collecting self-report measures of treatment outcomes. Both paper/pencil and IVR assessments provide highly convergent data and demonstrate good test-retest reliability. Alcohol Dependence Scale score differences between methods highlight special considerations for IVR adaptation of existing paper/pencil instruments. Benefits of IVR include procedural standardization, automatic data scoring, direct electronic storage, and remote accessibility from multiple locations.
Mundt
James C
JC
Healthcare Technology Systems, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin 53717, USA. mundj@healthtechsys.com
Bohn
Michael J
MJ
King
Monica
M
Hartley
Michael T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011786:Quality Control; D019114:Remote Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014831:Voice
D000431:Ethanol