Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114431

JoAnn Kuo, MPH¹, Sara Wilcox, PhD², JoEllen Wilbur, PhD, RN, FAAN³, and Deborah Rohm Young, PhD¹. (1) Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, HHP, College Park, MD 20742, 301-405-2450, jkuo1@umd.edu, (2) Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, 1300 Wheat Street, Columbia, SC 29208, (3) College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 S. Damen, Chicago, IL 60612

Survey responses to some types of questions may differ depending on the interview method, e.g., telephone versus face-to-face. PURPOSE: To examine the effect of social desirability bias on interview responses in telephone versus face-to-face interviews. METHODS: Participants were interviewed for the multi-site Women's Cardiovascular Health Network Project. The sample for this study was limited to 1,550 African American women, 20 to 50 years old, interviewed by staff members from three universities. Two universities conducted face-to-face interviews while one conducted telephone interviews. The survey included a physical activity assessment, questions about religious and community involvement, and sociodemographic information. Logistic regression and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine the relationship between interview mode and reported attendance at group functions and physical activity participation, controlling for age and education. RESULTS: Participants interviewed in person were more likely to report moderate activity (OR=1.45 [1.10 – 1.92]), but not vigorous activity, and attending community meetings (OR = 1.29 [1.04 – 1.60]) than those interviewed by telephone. They also reported being physically active on more days and for longer periods of time (p<0.0001). Participants interviewed in person were less likely to report attending religious functions (OR = 0.41 [0.32 – 0.53]) than those interviewed by telephone. Groups were similar in education. Those interviewed in person were slightly younger (mean age = 34.4 vs. 35.9). CONCLUSION: Survey responses from face-to-face interviews about attending community meetings and physical activity may be subject to greater social desirability bias among this group of African American women.

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