Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.,
Volume 164, Number 1, July 2001, 82-85
Use of Audio Computer-assisted Self-Interviews to
Assess Tuberculosis-related Risk Behaviors
ELISE D.
RILEY,
RICHARD E.
CHAISSON,
THEODORE J.
ROBNETT,
JOHN
VERTEFEUILLE,
STEFFANIE A.
STRATHDEE,
and
DAVID
VLAHOV
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins
School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; and Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, New York, New York
The objective of this study was to compare self-reported tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk factors obtained
from computer-assisted questionnaires and interviewer-assisted questionnaires among participants of a needle exchange program. Between June 1998 and May 1999, needle exchange program participants requesting tuberculosis screening underwent interviews
regarding demographics and risk factors for tuberculosis and HIV
infection. The first 190 participants underwent traditional interviewer-assisted questionnaires, whereas the remaining 92 underwent
computer-assisted questionnaires. Data were analyzed by interview technique using odds ratios (OR) and multiple logistic regression. Among 282 participants, demographic characteristics, health
status, HIV serostatus, visits to homeless shelters, alcohol intake,
and cigarette smoking were all similar by interview technique.
However, respondents receiving computer-assisted questionnaires
were more likely than those receiving interviewer-assisted questionnaires to report smoking marijuana (OR = 5.56), crack (OR = 1.88), and heroin (OR = 2.60); as well as sharing cocaine smoking
equipment (OR = 4.49), sharing heroin smoking equipment (OR = 2.85), "shotgunning" (OR = 4.48), and visiting crack houses (OR = 4.39). In the final multivariate model, respondents receiving computer-assisted questionnaires were more likely to report "shotgunning" and visiting a crack house relative to respondents receiving
interviewer-assisted questionnaires. In conclusion, increased odds
of high-risk behaviors for tuberculosis and HIV infection among
computer-assisted questionnaire respondents support the use of
computer-assisted questionnaires to ascertain risk behavior data
for both tuberculosis and HIV.
Keywords: tuberculosis; HIV; self-report; drug use; computer-assisted
