title: Collecting psychosocial self-report data in oral health research: impact of literacy level and computerised administration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In oral and other health research, participant literacy levels may impact the quality of data obtained through self-report (e.g., degree of data missingness). This study addressed whether computerized administration of a battery of psychosocial instruments used in an oral health disparities research protocol yielded more complete data than paper-and-pencil administration and aimed to determine the role of general literacy in differences in data missingness between administration types.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral health data were obtained from 1,652 adolescent and adult participants who were administered a large questionnaire battery via either paper-and-pencil or tablet personal computer. Number of unanswered items for each participant was compared across administration mode. For a subset of 171 participants who were randomized to one of the administration modes, general literacy and satisfaction with the questionnaire experience also were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants assigned to complete the oral health questionnaire battery via tablet PC were significantly more likely than those assigned to the paper-and-pencil condition to have missing data for at least one item (p< .001); however, for participants who had at least one missing item, paper-and-pencil administration was associated with a greater number of items missed than was tablet PC administration (p< .001). Across administration modes, participants with higher literacy level completed the questionnaire battery more rapidly than their lower literacy counterparts (p< .001). Participant satisfaction was similar for both modes of questionnaire administration (p≥ .29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that a certain type of data missingness may be decreased through the use of a tablet computer for questionnaire administration.
authors: Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia ; West Virginia University.
authors: Cameron L
authors: CL
authors: Randall
authors: Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia ; West Virginia University.
authors: Daniel W
authors: DW
authors: McNeil
authors: Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia ; West Virginia University.
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: Crout
authors: Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia ; University of Pittsburgh.
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Weyant
authors: Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia ; University of Pittsburgh.
authors: Mary L
authors: ML
authors: Marazita
keywords: literacy; missing data; questionnaires; self-reports; surveys