A comparison between audio computer-assisted self-interviews and clinician interviews for obtaining the sexual history

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare reporting between audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) and clinician-administered sexual histories.

Goal: The goal of this study was to explore the usefulness of ACASI in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics.

Study: The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of ACASI followed by a clinician history (CH) among 609 patients (52% male, 59% white) in an urban, public STD clinic. We assessed completeness of data, item prevalence, and report concordance for sexual history and patient characteristic variables classified as socially neutral (n=5), sensitive (n=11), or rewarded (n=4).

Results: Women more often reported by ACASI than during CH same-sex behavior (19.6% vs. 11.5%), oral sex (67.3% vs. 50.0%), transactional sex (20.7% vs. 9.8%), and amphetamine use (4.9% vs. 0.7%) but were less likely to report STD symptoms (55.4% vs. 63.7%; all McNemar chi-squared P values <0.003). Men's reporting was similar between interviews, except for ever having had sex with another man (36.9% ACASI vs. 28.7% CH, P <0.001). Reporting agreement as measured by kappas and intraclass correlation coefficients was only moderate for socially sensitive and rewarded variables but was substantial or almost perfect for socially neutral variables. ACASI data tended to be more complete. ACASI was acceptable to 89% of participants.

Conclusions: ACASI sexual histories may help to identify persons at risk for STDs.