Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

SMS versus telephone interviews for epidemiological data collection: feasibility study estimating influenza vaccination coverage in the Swedish population

  • Methods
  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study compared the use of Short Message Service (SMS) on mobile phones and the use of telephone interviews in collecting self-reported data about influenza vaccination. Through random selection from the Swedish population registry, 2,400 individuals were assigned to be contacted through SMS (SMS-group), and 2,150 were assigned to undergo personal telephone interviews (TI-group). Both groups were asked three questions about influenza and influenza vaccination. Mobile phone numbers were found for 1,055 persons in the SMS-group of whom 154 (6% of the original sample; 15% of all who had a listed mobile phone number) responded. Landline or mobile phone numbers were found for 1,636 persons in the TI-group and 1,009 (47% of the original TI sample; 62% of those where a telephone number was found) responded. The vaccination data collected via SMS was not statistically significantly different from data collected through telephone interviews, and adjustment for different background factors did not change this. Compared to the original sample, there was an under representation of elderly and less educated individuals among the participants in the SMS-group, and under representation of less educated in the TI-group. Though the participation rate was low, SMS is a feasible method for collection of information on vaccination status data among the Swedish population compared to telephone interviews.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CI:

Confidence interval

JAVA:

Software platform

OR:

Odds ratio

SMS:

Short message service

TI:

telephone interview

SMS-group:

The group allocated to be contacted through SMS

SMS-1:

Original sample in SMS-group

SMS-2:

Group individuals where mobile phone number was found in SMS-group

SMS-3:

Group of individuals who completed the SMS-interview

TI-group:

The group allocated to be contacted through telephone interviews

TI-1:

Original sample in TI-group

TI-2:

Group of individuals where fixed or mobile phone number was found in TI-group

TI-3:

Group of individuals who completed the telephone interview

References

  1. Dillman D. Presidential address: navigating the rapids of change: some observations on survey methodology in the early twenty-first century. Public Opin Q. 2002;66:473–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Couper MP. Technology trends in survey data collection. Soc Sci Comput Rev. 2005;23(4):486–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Siemiatycki J. A comparison of mail, telephone, and home interview strategies for household health surveys. Am J Public Health. 1979;69(3):238–45.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Voigt LF, Koepsell TD, Daling JR. Characteristics of telephone survey respondents according to willingness to participate. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;157(1):66–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Sax LJ, Glimartin SK, Bryant AN. Assessing response rates and nonresponse bias in Web and paper surveys. Res High Educ. 2003;44(4):409–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mundt JC, Moore HK, Bean P. An interactive voice response program to reduce drinking relapse: a feasibility study. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2006;30(1):21–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fricker S, Galesic M, Tourangeau R, Yan T. An experimental comparison of web and telephone surveys. Public Opin Q. 2005;69(3):370–92. doi:10.1093/poq/nfi027.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Brick JM, Brick PD, Dipko S, Presser S, Tucker C, Yuan Y. Cell phone survey feasibility in the US: sampling and calling cell numbers versus landline numbers. Public Opin Q. 2007;71(1):23–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Ekman A, Litton JE. New times, new needs; e–epidemiology. Eur J Epidemiol. 2007;22(5):285–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Jönsson C. The Swedish population’s use of the Internet and Telephones—an individual survey 2007. Stockholm: Swedish National Post and Telecom agency; 2007 2007-11-28. Report No: PTS-ER-2007:26.

  11. Tucker C, Brick JM, Meekins B. Household telephone service and usage patterns in the United Stated in 2004: implications for telephone samples. Public Opin Q. 2007; 71(1):3–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. ITU/UNCTAD. World Information Society report: beyond WSIS. online version. Geneva: International Telecommunication Union (ITU),1 June; Report No: 3 2007.

  13. Kempf AM, Remington PL. New challenges for telephone survey research in the twenty-first century. Annu Rev Public Health. 2007;28:113–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Safaie A, Mousavi SM, LaPorte RE, Goya MM, Zahraie M. Introducing a model for communicable diseases surveillance: cell phone surveillance (CPS). Eur J Epidemiol. 2006;21(8):627–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Curioso WH, Karras BT, Campos PE, Buendia C, Holmes KK, Kimball AM. Design and implementation of Cell-PREVEN: a real-time surveillance system for adverse events using cell phones in Peru. AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2005;176:80.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Anhoj J, Moldrup C. Feasibility of collecting diary data from asthma patients through mobile phones and SMS (short message service): response rate analysis and focus group evaluation from a pilot study. J Med Internet Res. 2004;6(4):e42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Vidrine DJ, Arduino RC, Lazev AB, Gritz ER. A randomized trial of a proactive cellular telephone intervention for smokers living with HIV/AIDS. Aids. 2006;20(2):253–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Ostojic V, Cvoriscec B, Ostojic SB, Reznikoff D, Stipic-Markovic A, Tudjman Z. Improving asthma control through telemedicine: a study of short-message service. Telemed J E Health. 2005;11(1):28–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hurling R, Catt M, Boni MD, Fairley BW, Hurst T, Murray P, et al. Using internet and mobile phone technology to deliver an automated physical activity program: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2007;9(2):e7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Gimenez-Perez G, Gallach M, Acera E, Prieto A, Carro O, Ortega E, et al. Evaluation of accessibility and use of new communication technologies in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. J Med Internet Res. 2002;4(3):e16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ferrer-Roca O, Cardenas A, Diaz-Cardama A, Pulido P. Mobile phone text messaging in the management of diabetes. J Telemed Telecare. 2004;10(5):282–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Tasker AP, Gibson L, Franklin V, Gregor P, Greene S. What is the frequency of symptomatic mild hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes in the young?: assessment by novel mobile phone technology and computer-based interviewing. Pediatr Diabetes. 2007;8(1):15–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Franklin VL, Waller A, Pagliari C, Greene SA. A randomized controlled trial of sweet talk, a text-messaging system to support young people with diabetes. Diabet Med. 2006;23(12):1332–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Farmer A, Gibson O, Hayton P, Bryden K, Dudley C, Neil A, et al. A real-time, mobile phone-based telemedicine system to support young adults with type 1 diabetes. Inform Prim Care. 2005;13(3):171–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Kollmann A, Riedl M, Kastner P, Schreier G, Ludvik B. Feasibility of a mobile phone-based data service for functional insulin treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. J Med Internet Res. 2007;9(5):e36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Statistics Sweden. (www.scb.se) 2007.

  27. Payne L, Kuhlmann-Berenzon S, Ekdahl K, Giesecke J, Hogberg L, Penttinen P. ‘Did you have flu last week?’ a telephone survey to estimate a point prevalence of influenza in the Swedish population. Euro Surveill. 2005;10(12):241–4.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. ENIRO-group. (http://www.eniro.com/en/).

  29. Swedish Standard Classification of Occupations (SSYK). In: Sweden S, editor. (http://www.scb.se/Grupp/ekonomi/_Dokument/MISbil4.doc). Stockholm.

  30. International Standars Classification of Occupations. In: Organisation IL, editor. (http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/isco/index.htm). Geneva; 1988.

  31. Groves R, Lyberg L. An overview of nonresponse issues in telephone surveys. Telephone survey methodology. In: Groves R, et al. editors. New York: John Wiley & sons; 1988. p. 191–211.

  32. Potthoff RF. Telephone sampling in epidemiologic research: to reap the benefits, avoid the pitfalls. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139(10):967–78.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The study was funded by the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 12A, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden

    Christin Bexelius, Hanna Merk, Sven Sandin, Alexandra Ekman, Olof Nyrén & Jan-Eric Litton

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, Stockholm, Sweden

    Hanna Merk, Olof Nyrén, Sharon Kühlmann-Berenzon & Annika Linde

Authors
  1. Christin Bexelius
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hanna Merk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sven Sandin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alexandra Ekman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Olof Nyrén
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sharon Kühlmann-Berenzon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Annika Linde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jan-Eric Litton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christin Bexelius.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bexelius, C., Merk, H., Sandin, S. et al. SMS versus telephone interviews for epidemiological data collection: feasibility study estimating influenza vaccination coverage in the Swedish population. Eur J Epidemiol 24, 73–81 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-008-9306-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-008-9306-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation