Computer-Based and Live Interviews on Problem Drinking: Users' Attitudes

Some studies of computerized interviews particularly those that deal with personally sensitive topics demonstrate that people have a preference for automated interviews versus live interviews. To explore this phenomenon, we administered four openended questions after participants were screened for problem drinking by both an automated and a human telephone interviewer. Both interviews administered AUDIT(Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) for assessing problem drinking. Individuals were recruited into the study who responded to ads in daily papers. Sixty-two percent of the participants preferred the human interviewer and only 3% among these expressed a concern about confidentiality of the interview. Among the 22% who preferred the automated interview, 32% indicated confidentiality as a reason for their preference.