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6.8.2 Interviewing Staff Attrition
The continual turnover of interviewing staff meant there were not always enough
interviewers to adequately cover the assignments in all areas. Once replacement staff were in
place, FSs underwent the learning curve process with these new FIs rather than being able to
build on experience FIs had gained in the field. The continued attrition caused FSs to spend
considerable time dealing with staffing issues (recruiting, hiring, more intense supervision of
new employee, etc.) and less time on appropriately managing the most difficult cases.
6.8.3 Refusals
Refusals at the screening and interview level have historically been a problem for the
NSDUH (as with all national-level household surveys). The introduction in 2002 of the $30 cash
incentive for selected respondents completing the interview decreased the number of refusals and
increased the number of interviews conducted in one or two visits. However, interviewers still
had to deal with numerous issues in an effort to obtain cooperation:
• The shifting economy meant members of selected households employed at higher
level jobs were at home less and less inclined to devote the necessary time to
participate. Persons employed at lower level jobs often worked several jobs so were
also hard to find at home.
• A larger percentage of cases involved households with two persons selected for
interview. Historically, response rates in households with two respondents are lower
due to more frequent refusals by the second selected individual.
• With the use of a respondent incentive, each interviewer's workload decreased. Many
experienced FIs had to resign in order to find other work with steady income. The
shortage of qualified FI candidates to fill FI position openings continued. Those hired
were often inexperienced.
• The sophisticated CMS allowed for increased monitoring of questionable FI
activities, resulting in fewer fraudulent cases being submitted.
6.8.4 Typical Data Collection Concerns
As is common in any large field data collection effort, staff encountered problems such as
respondent availability, dwelling unit access (controlled or otherwise restricted), and high-crime
neighborhoods. Additionally, the use of escorts to increase interviewer comfort levels in unsafe
areas had an impact on respondent reactions.
6.8.5 Newton
Using the Newton for electronic screening was a great use of technology, but the Newton
had its drawbacks:
• It was sensitive to a variety of weather conditions (and all types were encountered).
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