title: Automating Telephone Surveys: Using T-ACASI to Obtain Data on Sensitive Topics.
abstract: This paper describes a new interview data collection system that uses a personal computer equipped with a telephone interface card. This system, telephone audio computer-assisted self-interviewing or T-ACASI, offers the economy of telephone interviews while providing the privacy of self-administered questionnaires. We describe T-ACASI design considerations and operational characteristics. In addition, we present data from recent studies indicating that the T-ACASI system is stable, robust, and suitable for administering relatively long and complex questionnaires on sensitive topics, including drug use and sexual behaviors associated with HIV and other STDs.
authors.affiliation: Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC and Washington D.C.
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.forename: Heather G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Gribble
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Turner
references.citation: Science. 1992 Nov 13;258(5085):1101-6
references.pmid: 1439818
references.citation: Public Health Rep. 1996 May-Jun;111(3):276-9
references.pmid: 8643822
references.citation: Subst Use Misuse. 2000 May-Jun;35(6-8):869-90
references.pmid: 10847215
references.citation: Comput Human Behav. 1998;14(2):195-207
references.pmid: 22081743
references.citation: Science. 1998 May 8;280(5365):867-73
references.pmid: 9572724
references.citation: J Off Stat. 1994;10(2):197-214
references.pmid: 22347766