Abstract
A comparison of results using three methods of obtaining the same survey data is reported. The assumption is made that in relation to a question for which there is a socially desirable response, e.g., use of seat restraints for children, those reporting nonuse or infrequent use are giving truthful answers. In an experiment in health education, follow-up assignments were made randomly, one third being interviewed face-to-face, one third by telephone, and the rest by a postal questionnaire. There were no significant differences by method of follow-up in the scores reflecting reported changes in behavior following instruction. Both the telephone and mail methods, however, appear to yield a higher proportion of “truthful”, i.e., socially undesirable, responses; 30.4% of those contacted by telephone admitted to not using a restraint on the last trip, compared with 26.3% of those questioned by mail and 17.5% in a household interview. It is recommended that careful consideration be given to these alternative methods of obtaining data, particularly in view of their lower cost and possibly greater validity.
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Additional information
Dr. Pless is with the Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology and Health at McGill University. He is Director of the Community Pediatric Research Program, Montreal Children's Hospital, 2300 Tupper Street, Montreal, P.Q. H3A 1P3. Dr. Miller is with the School of Nursing at the University of Rochester. Requests for reprints should be addressed to Dr. Pless at Montreal Children's Hospital.
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Pless, I.B., Miller, J.R. Apparent validity of alternative survey methods. J Community Health 5, 22–27 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01321567
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01321567