Heather Miller

Automating telephone surveys: using T-ACASI to obtain data on sensitive topics

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.