Citation

Parks KA, Pardi AM, Bradizza CM. J. Stud. Alcohol 2006; 67(2): 318-323.

Affiliation

State University of New York at Buffalo, Research Institute on Addictions, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA. parks@ria.buffalo.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16562415

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Traditionally, personal contact with an experienced interviewer has been thought to facilitate collection of data on alcohol use and victimization experiences. Recent studies indicate that Web-based surveys may be an efficient alternative for gathering these sensitive data. To date, telephone interviewing and Web-based collection of data on alcohol-related negative consequences, particularly victimization, have not been compared. This study was designed to compare data from an interviewer-administered and Web-based survey on alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences in a sample of college women. METHOD: Seven hundred women from a second semester freshmen college class were randomly selected to participate in either the telephone interview or Web-based modes of survey administration. RESULTS: Fifty-three percent of invited women (N = 370) completed the survey. Completion rates were higher, and estimated dollar costs were significantly lower, for the Web-based survey. There were no differences in reported rates of alcohol or drug use by survey method; however, there were differences in several specific alcohol-related negative consequences. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that, for college women, Web-based surveys versus telephone interviews can be an effective and more cost-efficient means for collecting data on alcohol use and related negative consequences, particularly victimization. In addition, we found some evidence that women may be more forthcoming when responding to a Web-based survey as compared with an interviewer-administered telephone survey.

Language: en